Something Wicked This Way Comes
by I am but two days old
Summary: Rather than be undergo a forced log out on the day YGGDRASIL's servers shut down, salary man Suzuki Satoru finds himself in the body of his avatar Momonga. Nazarick has been transported to a strange new land with a shattered moon hanging over head. The world is yours for the taking.
1. Volume 1: PROLOGUE

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both belong to Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

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_Something Wicked This Way Comes_

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Volume 1: The God of Death

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**PROLOGUE**

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_"A youth doth walk in stolen joy and pride,  
I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe,  
That made my love so high and me so low."  
-William Blake_

Vacuo was a giant dustball. At some point in time, many years ago, it had oasis' scattered across its vast desert. It's said that one could feel at peace at these momentary safe havens, for rich springs of water offered reprieve for wary travelers. Of course, this was assuming the Grimm did not come for you while you were resting. Sadly, these beautiful patches of safe haven had all dried out when Mantle had invaded and turned Vacuo into one giant mining operation, drilling and mining for valuable resources.

In the present day, out of the four Kingdoms that dotted the continents of Remnant, Vacuo was considered to be the most dangerous place to live. Not because of the Grimm who hid beneath the sand or roamed the desert in search of their next meal, but because of the lawlessness that was the many settlements scattered across the deserts of Vacuo. There was an unwritten rule in the kingdom that, if you could survive here, you were welcome here. It didn't matter if you were Faunus or Human.

The only real place with any sort of order was Shade Academy. One of the prestigious combat academies meant to train the next generation of Huntresses and Huntsmen. The next generation of warriors who would defend humanity from the Grimm.

Originally, Qrow Branwen didn't enjoy that prospect. Given his upbringing, who would want to protect people who were weak? But as time went by, he started to move past that mentality and look at the bigger picture. That there was something worth protecting. It was also why he was in Vacuo and not back at Patch, working as a teacher.

Well, not that he was complaining.

_Only good thing in Patch is Firecracker, Ruby, and the Headmistress._ Qrow thought as he walked through the somewhat vacant streets of one of the many settlements near the Huntsman Academy. One hand was close to his flask and the other was firmly held on the grip of his Harbinger, ready to whip it out at a moment's notice. _This place is a giant sausage fest. Not a single decent woman here._

He sighed deeply. What wouldn't he give for some quality time with a cute girl that would be willing to put up with an old geezer like him? Scratch that last part, though. He wasn't a geezer. He was still in his thirties dammit.

The only reason Qrow was still in Vacuo was because he was finishing up his errand. Ozpin had asked him to look into something. The usual stuff that needed to be investigated. Reports of mysterious figures, leads on the Maidens, stuff like that. Most of them tended to be a bust, but he had some success lately. A few months ago, he ran into Salem's adorable brats.

Downside was that Amber was now in a coma. It was just another instance in which Qrow cursed his Semblance.

But back to the point. Since then, things had been silent. He searched everywhere, with Vacuo being his latest stop. One report that Ozpin gave him made him a little interested. In this settlement, there was apparently a woman who had threatened the local bartender, and she hadn't left since. She made no moves, but her appearance was well-known to both Ozpin himself and Qrow.

The shabby man was interested in knowing why she was in Vacuo, when she almost never left Mistral on account of her "family." When she left, it was usually because something had caught her interest or because there was something that that she thought would be beneficial for the tribe. And even then, she only strayed as far as the outskirts of Vacuo's neighbors. She also didn't do anything that would put her at risk. Well, more than it usually would.

It was hard for people to _not_ know who she was, considering there were more than a few wanted posters of her plastered across the wooden billboards in Mistral.

Qrow eventually arrived at his destination. His nose wrinkled in disgust when he smelled bile and something rotten flooding his nostrils. _Love this place already_. Hand still on Harbinger, he entered the bar. It was practically empty in spite of the fact that it was night time; a perfect time for anyone and everyone to get wasted, himself included. There were pools of unknown liquid soaking into the wooden slots that made up the floor, discarded food rotting away in between cracks and grooves. A fight had occurred recently, evident by the demolished chairs and tables that were scattered across the room. There were uncleaned stains on the floor as well as on the wall. A few of those stains looked red.

Behind the counter was the bartender, who's face seemed flushed and sweaty while he absent-mindedly cleaned a glass cup. Sitting on a stool and downing an entire glass of whiskey was a familiar woman in red armor and jet-black hair, a katana sitting comfortably at her hip.

Qrow stared in slight surprise. In all the time he's known this woman, she never drank unless it was on occasion. Shrugging, he approached. The woman gave a brief glance over her shoulder, but she quickly lost interest before she could actually see him and went back to her glass. Qrow slid into the seat next o her, making himself comfortable before looking at the bartender.

"Whiskey. Light ice."

"C-coming right up..."

As the bartender quickly worked on his drink, Qrow glanced at the woman. Her hair was disheveled, her face sickly pale with dark rings under her eyes. He wrinkled his nose, noting how the air seemed a bit more foul around her.

"You look like shit."

"Fuck off, Qrow." Raven Branwen, his twin sister and leader of the Branwen Bandit Tripe snapped as she took another shot of her glass. The liquid slid down her throat easily before she filled it up again. "I'm not in the mood."

"Wasn't joking. You _smell_ like shit, too."

Raven paused. The glass barely touched her lips. "...I feel like shit."

"I bet. How long have you been in here?"

"Dunno. Don't care. Just leave me to my drinking in peace."

"About that, what's the occasion?"

"What makes you think its any of your business?"

"Well, for starters, you never venture this far out from Mistral, and even when you do you only go as far as the outskirts of nearby Kingdoms. And you only drink when something good's happened. And given how I've been hearing about how you've been causing hell here lately, and that those stains look awfully red..."

Raven clicked her tongue, but she didn't answer. She just went in for another drink. Qrow thought he might as well wait patiently for her to answer, or just find a moment to pry them out of here. The bartender gently put the drink down on the counter. Qrow thanked him and brought the alcoholic beverage to his lips, only to frown.

_Note to self. Vacuo whiskey tastes like donkey piss._

Well, beggars couldn't be choosers. And besides, booze was booze.

Raven downed the glass again in record time. She went to pour more, but saw that it was empty. Scowling, she threw the bottle over her shoulder. His semblance must have kicked in because the bottle smashed into the face of some poor schmuck that was looking inside, shattering upon impact. Some of the shards pierced into his skin. One dug into his eye, scarring him in the process. He fell to the ground and began to wail loudly, cradling his sliced face.

Only one or two people came to help him. The rest looked on with indifference and wary while glancing at the bar.

"Another beer!"

"M-miss, at this rate, you'll give yourself alcohol poisoning..."

_Click._

The sound of a katana being drawn caused the bartender to freeze up. He quickly snatched the closest bottle near him and slammed it on the counter. Raven cut the top off with her katana before sliding it back into its sheath, and went back to drinking. Looking more closely, Qrow saw her expression. She was bitter, angry, exhausted and most of all tired.

Raven was running on fumes. The only thing keeping her awake was the alcohol's foul taste and her own will. Any lesser person probably would be out on the floor passed out six ways from Sunday. Seeing this, Qrow's face scrunched into confusion and worry.

Raven was a warrior. She prided herself about this fact. She thought she was the strongest out of everyone in Team STRQ, and her teammates knew it. Even Summer, a woman who could make Grimm shit themselves just by _glaring_ at them, had trouble matching her. For her to look like this, something must have shaken her.

Qrow had only seen her look so spooked once, and it had been when they learned about Salem. Then again, the same could be said about himself as well and anyone who ever learned about that woman. After all, learning that the Grimm were being led by some witch, who had been alive for countless years and wanting to ensure humanity went out with a whimper, would freak out anyone.

But this was different. Raven didn't look shaken up. She looked...broken. Her eyes had become dull and lifeless. There was nothing in those crimson red orbs anymore. No spark or drive to become stronger.

She took a drink of her whiskey before she set it down on the counter, hanging her head low. When she spoke up, her voice had turned almost dead silent.

"...hey, Qrow. What is _strength_?" Qrow raised an eyebrow at her. She didn't wait for him to give her an answer and continued. "Do you remember what it was like, growing up in the tribe? I remember. I remember every single goddamn day. How our parents would beat us when we cried or when we did something wrong. How they broke our bones or bashed in our faces when we slacked off. When they sent us off to Beacon just so we could learn how to kill Huntsman, I thought I knew what it was like to be strong. And after Beacon, I felt stronger than ever before."

"You goin' somewhere with this, sis?"

Raven ignored him. "I left behind my own daughter and husband, just so I could focus on getting stronger. And when it came time to take over the tribe, I made damn sure everybody knew. I even went so far as to kill a stupid little girl who didn't know how to use her power right, just to make sure they didn't let their power go to waste."

Qrow narrowed his eyes at this. Ozpin had mentioned that there was a fleeting rumor of how the Spring Maiden was somewhere in Mistral. Of course, Qrow had tried to look for her and he got a few leads to go off of, but they all had the same conclusion: that the Spring Maiden was in the clutches of the Branwen Tribe. If his sister was implying what he thought she was, then his search had ended. He just hoped that wasn't the case.

Raven stared at her glass, her soulless eyes staring back at her before she pulled back and laughed. It was empty and hollow. It didn't even sound like a laugh at all. Just a hoarse mockery.

"But you know what? Strength and power? It's all...worthless. It doesn't mean a damned thing."

Qrow stared at her in confusion. "Raven, no offense here, but what the hell are you saying?"

"I'm saying you can train for years all you'd like and it would mean nothing." Raven said simply, turning to look at him for the first time since he walked into the bar. "Hell, you could train under Ozpin himself for a hundred years, and it wouldn't make a difference. I saw what true power is, and..." She stopped suddenly as fear crawled into her body, shaking uncontrollably. The glass in her hand trembled. "I'm a coward. Always have been. When I found out what Salem was and what she could do, first thing I did when I had the chance was to run as far away as possible. I even left my own partner to die just to get away, and to this day, I still don't regret a single damned second of it."

Her breath was becoming hot. Her skin was turning paler, and the shaking was growing worse. Qrow had seen veteran Huntsmen with similar looks. So horribly shaken by their experiences that they were but shells of their former selves. When you looked at their eyes, all you would see are husks with no life in them. Shellshocked and horrified. Say one thing and chances were they'd go off the rails and shake uncontrollably.

Raven looked like one of them. But Qrow was in disbelief. He knew Raven well enough to know that she wasn't the type to get scared easily. In his mind, she was a cold swordsman with a code of honor, however skewed it may have been. That woman wasn't the one sitting in front of him. This was someone else. Someone he didn't recognize.

"But do you know what I've realized, Qrow?" Raven's face twisted. A smile that didn't belong on her face touched her lips. Her eyes were those of a madman. "It wasn't Salem that I should have been scared of. From the very beginning, I shouldn't even have considered her something to be terrified of."

"Raven..." Qrow swallowed. "What the hell are you talking about? Speak sense! What did you see?"

"Death. I saw death appear in front of me, and it showed me just how _weak_ I was." Raven laughed again. "Can you imagine that? All these years, honing my skills, killing just to survive, stealing a Maiden's powers… And it was all for _nothing_. Everything I've done up to this point has just been a waste of time."

She fell quiet again. She downed her glass and then moved on to the bottle. She tilted her head back, downing its contents in under ten seconds. The drinker in Qrow was impressed, as even he would have found it difficult to pull off. With a final gulp, Raven let the bottle drop to the floor. It rolled away from her stool and went into a corner.

"...they're gone."

"What?"

"The Branwen Tribe."

"What about the Tribe?"

"It's all gone, Qrow. All of them. There's no such thing as a Branwen Tribe anymore." His eyes widened in shock. Something was caught in his throat. "They're all dead. They died in an instant. At least it was quick. Happened in the blink of an eye. They probably didn't feel a damned thing."

Dead? The Tribe was destroyed? Under Raven's watch? Had this come from the lips of a random stranger, Qrow would have laughed and dragged them along for a drink and then ask where they came up with such a stupid joke. The tribe weren't saints by any means, and they weren't weaklings either. The moment Raven replaced the old leader, they had become a terrifying force to be reckoned with. Even veteran Huntsmen would have had trouble fighting them.

Hearing Raven say the tribe was destroyed, and apparently with such ease… Qrow could scarcely believe her. Yet the fact that she was right here in front of him, a shadow of the woman that was once one of the strongest Huntresses in all of Remnant, telling him this herself, meant that this was no lie or elaborate ruse. She was telling the truth.

The people who had raised him, a den chock full of the scum of the earth, was wiped off the map.

"It's funny, isn't it?" Raven asked with that broken smile of hers. "All of this was just one giant waste of time. I shouldn't have run away. I should have just let that monster kill me instead of just wallowing around in a bar, drinking my ass off. Everything just seems so...pointless, now."

"Raven." Qrow gripped his glass tightly, eyes narrowed. "What the hell happened?"

"A monster showed up during our latest raid. It killed the men I sent to raid the village. The plan was to cause some trouble, then back off and let the Grimm come in. There weren't very many in the area, so it would be easy for us to kill off the villagers and the Grimm, then take everything in the village once the dust settled. But the men I sent didn't come back. I thought the village had a Huntsmen in there, so I decided to do the job myself."

Raven recalled what happened next. How the fight between her tribe and that monster ended.

_No, that's not right._ Raven amended. _That wasn't a fight. It was a massacre._

Despite her earlier words, not everyone in the tribe died a quick and peaceful death. Some had died brutally. Vernal's death, in particular, had been a short yet gruesome affair. She watched as her trusted student fell to her knees and then to the floor in a lifeless heap while the monster cradled what looked like her crushed heart in its grasp, blood flowing down its fingers.

A sensation washed over her. A coldness that surpassed the harsh tundras of Atlas. She couldn't breathe properly. She felt like she was suffocating. The air felt as if it had been scorched or burned.

That had been the last thing she had felt before despair had washed over her while death loomed, ready to claim its reward.

"...when you see Ozpin, tell him it isn't Salem he should be so scared of anymore." Raven said as she rose from her stool. She turned to walk away, her steps little more than staggering. "She isn't worth being terrified of. As much as I hate to admit it, it was nice seeing you again, little brother. Maybe I can die in peace?"

Qrow watched her retreat. His mind was racing before his body made the decision for him. He stood up from his stool. His semblance caused it to clatter to the floor. He stepped over it and grabbed hold of Raven, who looked at him in confusion and offered pitiful resistance.

"What're you doing…?" she slurred. Qrow gagged. When was the last time she took a bath for Gods' sake? "Let go..."

"I'm taking you to the nearest inn and washing you up." Qrow told her with finality. "You wanna die? Fine by me. But do it after you explain everything properly and after you talk with Yang."

With that the Branwen siblings left the bar. The nameless bartender let out a relieved sigh, the tension suddenly draining him dry of any energy he had left. He collapsed beneath his own weight and leaned against the cabinets behind him.

"I need a new job."

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In the forests of Mistral, hidden by the surrounding trees and protected by both Grimm and unusual creatures alike, a structure stood. It was a mausoleum of sorts, infested with some vegetation that grew along the floor, crawling up the stone pillars that lined up the walkway leading into the main complex. It looked like it was thousands of years old, yet it was in pristine condition. However, its design was unfamiliar to any architect who may have discovered it. It looked like it was horribly displaced. That it didn't belong to any known time period on Remnant.

Stranger still were the creatures who roamed its grounds, prowling for intruders. They were not Grimm, for if they were, they would be pitch black with ivory masks and glowing eyes of menace. Rather, they were instead shambling corpses. Skeletons to be more exact, armed with swords, axes, bows and polearms. The Grimm who wandered close by ignored these creatures, for they felt nothing from them. They did not disturb them unless they wandered too close, and the creatures made no move to end them unless they trespassed. Thus, both sides ignored the other.

However, inside this great tomb, a great power lurked. At its depths stood a grand throne room. It's presence was far beyond anything the kings of old could muster, for its ambiance and atmosphere was otherworldly. Had anyone set foot in this sacred place, they would have felt as if they were trespassing upon holy ground. There was only a single path to take, leading up to a small flight of steps. Beyond that was a throne of incredible and intricate design. Banners hanged on the walls, bearing numerous crests.

Creatures and monsters and human-like beings gathered at the steps of the throne, all kneeling before the great figure who sat on the throne while their heads were bowed with great reverence. Power soaked the air like a flooding dam trying to be swallowed by a sponge. A towering being sat on the throne, holding in its grasp a golden staff with numerous snake heads, each holding a jewel in its mouth. This being was the source behind this great power.

It was not human. It was not Faunus. It was not Grimm.

It was _death_.

Ornate robes shielded its pristine white skeleton, yet the robes exposed its rib cage, revealing a pulsating red orb that throbbed as if it were a heart. A dark halo floated behind the skeleton's head, releasing an unearthly light that added to the sheer horror this creature possessed. Jeweled rings sat atop each of its bony fingers. Its skull was both human, yet not. Its jaw was sharp and narrow, teeth curved like fangs. It had no eyes. Instead, glowing red orbs shined within the darkness of its sockets.

The robed skeletal creature raised its head, as if to address someone in the room, when one of its orbs suddenly became alight and turned into a fiery streak.

No one in Remnant understood this yet. Not the civilians who lived comfortably behind the walls of their grand cities, thriving behind the protection of their guardians. Not the Faunus, who suffered from relentless discrimination and cried out in silence. Not the White Fang, who fought for their bretheren and against the opposition that plagued them. Not the woman who wished to become powerful and feared by all. Not Ozpin or Salem, who were preoccupied with their constant forever war.

No one understood that a god of death had arrived in Remnant. One that would carve its name into this world's very being.

"Now, then." Death began as it looked at the amassed crowd before it, its glowing eyes burning even hotter. "Let's begin..."

_"And if thou gaze long into an abyss,  
__the abyss will also gaze into thee."  
-Friedrich Nietzsche_


	2. Volume 1: Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

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_Something Wicked This Way Comes_

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Volume 1: The God of Death

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**CHAPTER 1 | Beneath the Cracked Moon**

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_**part 1**_

Prior to the fated meeting between the leader of the Branwen bandit tribe and the supreme ruler of death, the skeletal being that had once been salary man Satoru Suzuki had been enjoying a small conversation with his friend Herohero, a ball of sludge and muck with a mockery for a face.

These were not their real forms, mind you. Rather, these were their player characters, or Avatars in this world. YGGDRASIL was one of the most popular DMMORPGs, to the point where after being active for a year, its servers extended globally and the playerbase exploding by the millions.

In YGGDRASIL, players could choose to play as a human, demihuman or heteromorphic character of their choosing. Herohero, for example, was an Elder Black Ooze – a type of slime heteromorphic. However, like most role-playing games, Player vs. Player was a crucial element in YGGDRASIL. If a player died, they'd lose some experience and had the chance of dropping their equipment. This applied for characters all across the board, but heteromorphic characters were often the most targeted. The reason for this was because PKing a heteromorph would give a character experience.

In other words, heteromorphic races were treated as mobs that should be killed.

Satoru Suzuki, or Momonga as he was called in YGGDRASIL, had been a victim of severe player killing to the point where he considered dropping out of the game entirely. However, his rescue at the hands of what would become one of his closest friends had convinced him to continue playing. He eventually managed to get back at his former killers by killing them in the most humiliating ways possible.

Momonga had made many good memories during the many years he had been playing YGGDRASIL. However, those memories soon became bittersweet as he remembered what today was.

Today was the day YGGDRASIL's servers, after 12 years, would shut down. Today was the day the game would end.

To make a long story short, Momonga had contacted with few friends he had left in the game and asked them to come by. He had hoped that they would stay in the game, just until the servers shut down. Sadly, out of the three remaining players who stayed in Momonga's guild, _Ainz Ooal Gown_, only Herohero answered his replies.

Despite Momonga's wishes, Herohero had left. He sounded so tired and ragged, and from what Momonga learned, the poor man just felt so tired from being worked all the time. Momonga understood his friend well, being a slave to his company also. Over the years, the workload just seemed to get worse and worse, but he managed to power through such thoughts. Herohero, though… It was obvious he was struggling to make it through.

He sighed deeply as his character slouched in its seat. "Let's meet again, huh?" he muttered Herohero's words to him under his breath. His real face contorted as the words repeated in his head before, in a rare burst of emotion, Momonga slammed his bony fist down on the table. "When would that be?! Don't fuck with me! How?! How could you all just leave this behind?!"

After his outburst, Momonga soon calmed down and sighed again. His friends didn't leave the game. They just had to choose what was more important to them. They were all members of the work force, so it was natural they prioritized their livelihoods over a game. Even if it was to escape from reality, they had lives to lead outside a fantasy world where they could be someone else.

In his heart, Satoru Suzuki knew that his friends didn't make this decision lightly. He glanced at the clock in the corner of his field of vision. It was part of his HUD, overlapping with the interior of his apartment.

Only a few more minutes until the servers shut down. Chances are he would be forced to undergo a log-out before the clock struck zero. He sorely hoped that he'd be able to stay until the very end.

Standing up, Momonga made his way towards the door, intending to wait in the 10th Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. He stopped briefly, turning his head towards the intricate golden staff that floated atop a pedestal. The shaft of the staff was twisted and curved, often separating and leaving open gaps before joining back together. At the top of the staff were a multitude of snake heads. In each mouth was a gem.

This was the embodiment of _Ainz Ooal Gown_. The guild weapon that took countless months of grinding and gacha to build.

_I'm sure my friends would forgive me for being selfish._ Momonga thought as he took hold of the staff. _Today's the last day, after all._

"Let's go." he said to the guild weapon as if it were a living object. "The symbol of our...no, the symbol of _my_ guild!"

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The events that happened afterwards were hardly worth noting. Momonga had ordered the Pleiades Battle Maids and Sebas Tian, Touch Me's NPC, to follow him to the throne room. Upon arrival, he had them bow down, though not before he checked another NPC's settings. Albedo was the Overseer of the Floor Guardians, ordering them in the event the Great Tomb came under attack. She was designed by another member of _Ainz Ooal Gown_.

When he looked at Albedo's settings, Momonga wondered what went through Tabula Smaragdina's head as he designed her. His attention to detail was incredible. Her settings would easily make up a ten page essay, though this meant Momonga had to skim through it. The last line was what earned his exasperation.

"She is a slut."

It was in bad taste, and Momonga felt it didn't suit Albedo whatsoever. At the time, he thought it would be fine, since YGGDRASIL would shut down soon. He changed her settings and replaced that odd line with something else.

"She is in love with Momonga."

It was embarrassing, and he had no doubt that if the others learned of this, they'd tease him to no end.

It was what happened next that led to the current state of events.

The clock had hit zero. By all rights, YGGDRASIL should have ended then and there and Satoru Suzuki should have been in his apartment, getting ready to go to bed and prepare for another day of grueling corporate bullshit. Instead, he remained in the throne room of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

However, a change had occurred. For reasons he couldn't fathom or understand, the NPCs of Nazarick had seemingly come alive. In the game, unless it was part of a scripted event, the NPCs couldn't speak or form facial expressions. Yet when Momonga was confused and trying to figure out what was happening, he heard Albedo speak with a look of the utmost concern. Even the Pleiades Battle Maids and Sebas looked worried.

That wasn't all, either. Momonga had performed a small experiment with Albedo in order to determine whether or not he was still in YGGDRASIL. His first thought was that the game underwent some kind of major update that brought forth a newfound attention to detail. After all, Albedo possessed a pulse. Something that should be impossible. His next action was to touch her breast.

It was for a good cause, we assure you. After all, if a player had attempted to perform an R-rated action that should only be done in a H-game, they would immediately receive a notice to cease and desist. If they persisted, their account would immediately be banned. The fact that Momonga was fondling her for a straight minute and didn't receive a single penalty meant that he wasn't in YGGDRASIL anymore.

But that, of course, raised numerous questions. Just what in the world could have happened? To this end, he had Sebas investigate the area outside the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Momonga also wished to ascertain the characters of any other NPCs that may have developed a consciousness and asked Albedo to have them gather in the 6th Floor Arena.

Of course, there was also another reason. Momonga wished to see if he was still capable of performing magic. The twin dark elf NPCs created by Bukubukuchagama, Aura Bella Foira and Mare Bello Fiore, had also helped him by gathering testing dummies for him to practice on.

The experiments were overall successful. Momonga learned that he was not only capable of casting magic without any sort of complications, he had the knowledge to cast all the spells his character had learned. Moreover, he could envision how much MP he had. By no means did he had a perfect memory, but the information seemed to flow into his mind each time a thought rushed by.

Shortly after he completed his experiments, Momonga had also ascertained the characters of the NPCs that had been gathered to the 6th Floor. As he expected, each of them had developed a newfound personality fitting for their settings. They demonstrated feelings that they otherwise shouldn't have been able to express. It was incredible to see, but at the same time, a little worrying. Since he had no idea what was happening, Momonga wondered if the NPCs would betray him.

Those thoughts were, thankfully, unfounded. However…

"Now, everyone." Albedo said with a smile as she and the others all had a gleam in their eyes. "Let us pledge our fidelity."

_Uh, what? What's going…?_

To Momonga's utter shock, the NPCs created by his friends all kneeled before him. The way they bowed was not done in a way that showed respect to a lord. No, this was something else. Something more.

The bowed to him as if he were a _god_.

"Shalltear Bloodfallen. Floor Guardian of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Floor. I bow before the Supreme One."

"COCYTUS. FLOOR GUARDIAN OF THE 5th FLOOR. I. BOW BEFORE THE SUPREME ONE."

"Aura Bella Fiora! Floor Guardian of the 6th Floor!" "M-Mare Bello Fiore. Also F-Floor Guardian of the 6th Floor." "We bow before the Supreme One!"

"Demiurge. Floor Guardian of the 7th Floor. I bow before the Supreme One."

"Albedo. Overseer of the Floor Guardians. I bow before the Supreme One. Lord Momonga, with the exception of the Guardians of the 4th and 8th Floor, all of us have gathered here before you. Please, my Lord! Give us your orders!"

_...hey. Hey hey hey. What the hell is this?_

Momonga couldn't speak. He was floored. This...this wasn't admiration or devotion. This was like a cult. Absolute belief. If they did have any plans to betray him, it was hard to discern. They looked at him and swore their lives to him as if he were some kind of almighty being.

Well, they did call him the "Supreme One," but even so, there should be a limit to these sorts of things!

Perhaps a result of his inner turmoil, Momonga accidentally activated one of his skills: [Despair Aura]. A dark haze cloaked his being and a pressure came down upon the Floor Guardians. They didn't show any form of discomfort. If they had, they hid it quite well.

_Why the hell do I look so depressed?!_ Momonga mentally shook his head and gathered himself. "...raise your heads." he said. His normal voice sounded smooth and maybe a little rough. Perhaps because he was in the body of his character, his voice had become raspy and hoarse, with a throaty rumble. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming."

Confusion appeared on the faces of the NPCs. Albedo shook her head. "Your thanks are wasted on us, Lord Momonga. I understand that we are lacking, but even so, we wish to be of use to you. Our hearts, bodies and souls. We offer them to you for you to use as you see fit, and strive to meet your expectations! This, we vow!"

"_This, we vow!"_

Momonga reeled at their words. Suddenly, his thoughts of them being a cult seemed a little too accurate for his liking. Was this also part of their settings? No, couldn't be. This just seemed a little too extreme.

_Well, then again, everyone in the guild was kind of weird._ Momonga thought. _I think only a few people were normal, but then again…_

"...I see." he said after a moment of thinking before his jaw clicked, curving as if he were smiling. "Well spoken, my Floor Guardians. I have no doubt you will continue to serve me faithfully!" Momonga had to admit, the sheer joy that appeared on their faces warmed his heart. "Now, then. Down to business. Nazarick is currently undergoing an unknown situation. I've asked Sebas to investigate the area outside ."

"I've returned, my lord."

Speak of the devil.

At that moment, the gray-haired butler arrived, his expression even. After joining with the other Floor Guardians, Sebas kneeled and bowed his head.

"Welcome back, Sebas." Momonga greeted him. "Now then, tell us what you've learned."

"Yes, lord. It seems that the Great Tomb has been transported to an entirely new location. Rather than the marshes and swamps populated by the mermen, Nazarick appears to be in a forest area."

The lights in Momonga's sockets increased in size. "A forest?" he asked.

"Yes. There are large mountain ranges not too far off in the distance, but I haven't spotted any settlements nearby. The grass is bladed, but it is not the kind where one would sustain damage if ill-equipped. In regards to any form of sentient life, there are animals one might expect in forests, such as squirrels, foxes and birds and other small creatures. However, there are other creatures as well, much larger than the ones that survive in the forest. The most common of these creatures appears to be a bipedal wolf covered in jet black fur with white spikes coming out from its body, as well as a white mask over its face."

The description of these creatures did not sound familiar to Momonga. If anything, he felt confused. Perhaps these creatures were native to this region? New questions were emerging with each new answer he received. "I see. Did you engage these creatures?"

"No. These creatures hunt the smaller animals in the forest, but they've made no attempt to enter the grounds of the Great Tomb. They also seem to ignore the undead guarding the grounds as well."

"Interesting..." Momonga hummed. "Thank you, Sebas. For now, I would like for you to keep investigating the area. See if you can discover any form of sentient life, perhaps a settlement of some sort. However, if you happen to find one, do not interact with any of its inhabitants until we know they are non-hostile."

"Yes, Lord Momonga."

"Now that that's been settled..." Momonga turned to address his Floor Guardians. "There are now other matters to attend to. In the event these creatures Sebas described turn hostile and attempt to invade us, I'd like to set up some defensive. All of you are to increase the security level on your floors by one level. Albedo, Demiurge. I'd like for the two of you to work together. Find a way to strengthen Nazarick's intelligence gathering."

Albedo and Demiurge bowed their heads. "Yes, lord!"

"Secondly, we should hide ourselves in the event a hostile force finds us. Mare!"

The young dark elf squeaked. "Y-yes?"

"Would it be possible to camouflage ourselves with illusion magic?"

"Yes, b-but I believe it would be difficult. Although, since we're in a forest, I-I believe if we to cover the Great Tomb with the nearby vegetation..."

Killing intent flooded the arena. "You'd dare suggest that we cover the glorious walls of the Great Tomb of Nazarick in _dirt_?" Albedo hissed.

"Albedo." Momonga chided. "Do not make needless remarks! I am speaking with Mare."

"Forgive me, Lord!" The killing intent was wiped away in an instant as Albedo begged for Momonga's forgiveness.

He waved off her concerns, then continued. "That would indeed be feasible. And since there are nearby mountains, disguising ourselves as a mound should be easy. Use everything in your disposal, Mare!"

"Y-yes, my lord!"

Momonga then paused. That was everything he could think of at the moment. He could just be overreacting, but it never hurt to be cautious. He glanced at the NPCs, who were all awaiting his next command. Part of him still doubted their loyalty to him. They all seemed so devoted to him, though. Maybe he should be more direct? No, that'd be too risky. Maybe…

"...lastly, I have a question I'd like each of you to answer. Answer me, what kind of person am I to you? Shalltear!"

The True Vampire's cheeks turned cherry red as she looked upon him with affection and devotion. "The crystallization and embodiment of true beauty that none could hope to compare!"

"Cocytus!"

"THE STRONGEST OF THE SUPREME BEINGS, AND SUPERIOR TO WE FLOOR GUARDIANS. WORTHY OF BEING THE LEADER OF THE GREAT TOMB OF NAZARICK, AND THE GUILD _AINZ OOAL GOWN_." the armored bug spoke with finality.

"Aura!"

The female dark elf grinned from ear to ear. "You're very merciful and kind!"

"Mare!"

"C-Cautious, and always three steps ahead of the game." the twin responded with a stutter, but smiling equally as the others.

"Demiurge!"

Demiurge adjusted his glasses, smile never fading. "You are wise, and leave nothing to chance. You ensure that your power will bring forth victory. I believe the word _inscrutable_ best describes you!"

"Sebas!"

"You are the undisputed leader of the Supreme Beings, and mercifully stayed with us to the very end while the others had left. A truly kind leader." Sebas spoke with reverence.

"And lastly, Albedo!"

"You are the one true ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, surpassing all other Supreme Beings! As well as the man I love, more than anything else in this world!" Like Shalltear, a heavy blush formed on her cheeks, but there was something else as well. Her eyes glistened with loving devotion akin to mania.

A reminder that Momonga had tainted his dearest friend's NPC.

Still, there words had reassured him. If anything, Momonga felt even more guilty for thinking they would betray him.

_Still… What the hell is up with their glorious views of me?! It'd be a little easier if they talked like I was some kind of king, but…_

He mentally sighed. "Thank you." he said in sincerity. "Now then, go about your tasks! I will be in my private quarters. Use [Message] if something urgent arises." On a spur of the moment, Momonga spread his arms wide. "Go forth, my Floor Guardians, and bring glory to the name of Nazarick!"

He then used [Greater Teleportation]. The location was the Ninth Floor hallway. His vision distorted and soon changed into a lavish hallway that looked as if it would belong to an imperial palace. When Momonga looked around to see if anyone had attempted to follow, he let out a tired sigh and pressed his skull against the wall.

"What the hell's up with this… This isn't the kind of respect a CEO of some big company gets. Their views of me are way too freaking high! Urgh, can I really live up to their expectations…?"

He had to. He didn't dare think what might happen if he disappointed them. They really might rebel if they thought he wasn't up to par with what they thought of him. He had to meet their expectations. No, more than that, he had to rise above them and be the leader they thought of him as.

"Still..." Momonga muttered as he made his way to his quarters. "If Nazarick was transported to this location, then does that mean...others may be here too?" Hope filled his chest as he thought about his friends. Most of _Ainz Ooal Gown_ had quit the game and deleted their accounts, with the only trace of their existence being the equipment housed in the Treasury. Other than Momonga, only three members were active, including Herohero. Even then, however, none of them had logged in for quite some time. "It's worth hoping for..."

_**part 2**_

Momonga had quickly become bored after spending several hours of doing nothing but looking up tomes in his book shelf to see if there were any substantial changes. The books were pretty much little more than decorations, but the writing was all in Japanese so he was able to read it easily. To his slight disappointment, the books were mostly just records of YGGDRASIL's storylines and expansions and whatnot. He also spent some time checking to see if he was capable of feats that would be impossible outside of Nazarick.

He called for one of the Pleiades, Narberal Gamma, to bring him some weapons. Momonga was a magic caster, meaning he was limited to staffs, staves and other weapons. One of the weapons he couldn't use in YGGDRASIL was a sword. If he was no longer bound to the rules of the game, perhaps it would be possible for him to use weapons his class couldn't normally use.

He picked out a training blade from the box Narberal had provided for him. Taking it into both hands, he sucked in a non-existent breath and raised the blade overhead. He then swung down with the intent to strike an unseen foe. In mid-swing, his grip inexplicably slackened and the blade slipped from his grasp.

Momonga would have frowned in disappointment if he could. _I see. Even though I'm not following the rules of the game anymore, I still can't equip weapons that a caster-class can't use unless I'm under the effects of an accessory or spell. _That was rather disheartening. It would have been incredible to be able to swing a sword and sling a spell all at once. _Now that I think about it, my emotions are out of whack, too. A few times, whenever I get too emotional, something just seems to calm me down. Even when I look at myself in the mirror, I don't think twice about the fact that I'm just a skeleton now. Does this mean my mind's also been affected?_

Looking at a mirror, he felt nothing about his predicament. In fact, when he saw his reflection, the only thing he could think of was how tall he was. When he was Satoru Suzuki, he was more or less around average height. But his gaming avatar was maybe a few heads taller than his actual body. Thinking about the real world, he wondered what had happened to his body. Had it gone catatonic? Maybe he underwent a situation where his consciousness was copied and it transferred into Momonga, while his real self was back in the other world, going about daily life as a slave to his job?

_Speaking of my body…_

Momonga glanced down at his pelvis before the lights in his sockets dimmed considerably. As he expected, he found nothing there.

_I mean, it makes sense since I'm a skeleton and all, but… I was really hoping that wasn't the case. Well, not that it would matter in the long run. My own freaking libido gets squashed whenever I think back to how amazing groping Albedo was. Please forgive me for ruining your beloved NPC, Tabula!_

Briefly begging his friend's forgiveness, he realized that Narberal had picked up the fallen blade and set it back into his hand. Nodding in thanks, Momonga tried something else this time. "[Create Greater Item]." A flash of blue light swallowed him whole. His robes vanished and were replaced by jet black armor with golden trims. A tattered red cloak covered the right side of his body, falling to the knees. Gripping the sword in hand, Momonga roared and swung with all his might.

The blade struck the wooden box and obliterated it, sending all the weapons inside flying through the air.

_It looks like skills that let me temporarily change my class still work._ Momonga thought with some satisfaction before he grimaced, realizing he had caused a mess. Narberal was already picking up the discarded weapons. He wondered if she must have been inconvenienced and made a note to apologize later.

Momonga handed her the blade before he thought about what to do next. He could explore the other floors and see if they had undergone any changes. Perhaps things the others may have missed. He banished those thoughts, realizing he'd just be getting in their way. When he thought about the outside word, he wondered how different it must be from the polygons and textures that made up the world of YGGDRASIL.

He made his mind shortly and turned to Narberal. "I'll be taking my leave for now."

"I will ask one of the maids to accompany." Narberal said.

Momonga shook his head. This was something he wished to do himself. "No need for that. I will be fine on my own."

"But, my lord! How are we to act as your shields if we are not by your side?!"

He internally winced at the panicked and incensed look on her face, but he wasn't going to budge. "I said, _no_. I can handle things myself. Besides, I wish to do this discreetly, do you understand?" Narberal clearly didn't like his decision, but she clearly didn't dare speak out against his orders. Instead, all she could offer was a subdued nod. Softening, he put a hand on her shoulder. "I will be fine, Narberal."

"...as you wish, Lord Momonga."

She sounded slightly relieved, but it was obvious she was still against it. She exited the room shortly afterwards. Nodding to himself, Momonga used the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown and moved up to the 1st Floor. Appearing before a large flight of steps leading to the entrance, Momonga let out a small sigh. "I hate objecting to them, but it just feels so stuffy being around them. I just want some fresh air is all. Just for a while. It isn't like I'm going off to war or anything."

He climbed up the stairs leading to the entrance. Once he reached the top, however, he froze. The only creatures that should be defending the 1st Floor of the Tomb should have been low-level undead and phantasmal beasts. Instead, he was greeted with three monstrous creatures wearing powerful armor.

_The Demon Lords?!_ Momonga recognized these creatures easily. They were Demiurge's subordinates from the 7th Floor. _Why are they here?!_

"What's all the commotion?" A familiar man dressed in a red suit appeared, having apparently heard the Demon Lords raging when they noticed the appearance of what looked to be an intruder. When he saw Momonga in his armor, however, his eyes widened beneath his glasses and immediately fell into a bow, followed shortly by his minions. "Lord Momonga! What brings you to the 1st Floor?"

How in the world did he recognize him in this get up? Thinking logically, though, Momonga realized Demiurge had him figured out because it was impossible to sneak inside Nazarick while it was under some heavy fortification. The only way you could move about undetected to this point was if you were recognized as an ally to the guild and by the mobs patrolling the floors, or if you possessed the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. Both of which Momonga matched to a T.

"I could say the same of you." Momonga replied coolly. "Should you not be in the 7th Floor?"

"I was speaking with Shalltear in regards to expanding the information network." Demiurge answered him. "As well as some suggestions in regards to strengthening the floor's defenses." He then frowned deeply as he glanced at the area around Momonga. "If I may ask, Lord Momonga, what are you doing without an armed escort? And dressed in armor..."

"There's a reason for this, you see..."

Demiurge stared, then his expression brightened as a wide smile appeared. "I see… Truly, your attention to detail is impecable, Lord Momonga!"

Momonga tilted his head quizzically. _Say what? I just wanted to go outside. What're you saying?_

"Even so, I must ask that you allow me to accompany you!"

The undead mumbled beneath his breath. While this wasn't what he was hoping for, he supposed he could indulge in Demiurge's selfishness. Besides, it wasn't like he could blame the demon. He was just doing his job, after all. "Very well, but I will only allow you and you alone to accompany me."

"Thank you for indulging in my selfishness, my lord!"

The Demon Lords squeeled and went about their business while their leader followed Momonga out of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. When Momonga stepped out into uncharted territory for the first time, he saw lushious woods spread out before him, past the walls that surrounded and protected the tomb from intruders. A soft, luminous light shined from up above, leading him to raise his head and gaze upon a truly beautiful sight.

Jewels sparkled and dazzled up in the night sky, as clear as crystal waters. In his world, the sky was so polluted the sun could barely be seen. The air was tainted and foul, requiring people to wear gas masks if they wished to go outside. But there was no such pollution or muddled air that poisoned the lungs. Though he no longer had such organs, Momonga could feel the crisp, clean air flow around his bones.

_It's beautiful!_ He praised excitedly as if he were a child. _Not even the sky Blue Planet made in the 6th Floor could compare to this!_

He had to get a better look. He removed an item from his inventory and placed it around his neck; a wing-shaped amulet that clinked against his armor.

"[Fly]!"

His feet moved away from solid ground before Momonga took off like a bullet, shooting towards the sky. In a few seconds, he broke through the clouds and reached a suitable vantage point. Wanting to feel this cool breeze, he tore his helmet from his skull and threw it aside and gazed upon this new world' beauty for himself.

Luschious woodlands stretched out as far as the eye could see. In the far distance, a giant body of water stretched out towards the horizon. The stars could be seen clearly, with very little light from below disrupting this wondrous view. Perhaps the most eye-catching and most beautiful sight of all was the moon that hanged above, half of its body shattered and its pieces floating close by.

"Morbid it may be, the moon is truly beautiful." Momonga said, finding himself standing in awe. "And the stars glitter like gemstones. It almost looks like an unopened jewel box."

The sound of wings flapping drew his attention. He turned his head, finding Demiurge floating to his side. His appearance had changed considerably. The unblemished tanned skin became tarnished and covered in warts and scales. The handsome face of a schemer was replaced by a demonic toad with bulging red eyes and a mouth lined with fangs. Pinions stretched out from his back and his tail swishing about leisurely.

"If I may say so, Lord Momonga," Demiurge spoke. "But perhaps you were brought to these lands to lay claim to this unopened jewel box."

"You think so?" he mused. "Perhaps your right. Maybe I was called here to take it for myself." He paused, then chuckled. "No, that would be entirely too selfish of me. These jewels should be used to adorn the Great Tomb of Nazarick."

"Merely say the word, and we will help you take it."

Momonga couldn't help but laugh. "Even though we know nothing of what awaits us here, Demiurge?" he asked before looking back up at the sky. "Hm, then again… World domination, huh? Heh, that does sound like fun."

He didn't notice the shocked expression on Demiurge's face as he heard his lord mutter those words.

_I wonder…are any of my friends here also? Now that I think about it, what should I do now?_

That was a question Momonga had been putting off for a while now. In his life, he had nothing of value that made him want to go back to his world if it were possible. He didn't have any friends outside of YGGDRASIL. His only family had died when he was still a child. And he wasn't doing anything meaningful in his life, either. All he did outside of playing games was work, work and work.

Was there anything of real value to him that made him want to return to his original world?

The answer was no, there wasn't. There was nothing there that had any form of attachment to him at all.

_I guess that just leaves the question of where to go from here. Assuming my friends are here in this new world as well, my best chance of finding them would be to spread the name of _Ainz Ooal Gown_. But before that, I would need to figure out what exactly is in this world. Are there any people here? What magic do they have? Are they allies? Enemies?_

He paused his thoughts when he noticed movement below. Looking down, he saw earth swelling and shifting, converging around the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Plant life and nearby vegetation was quickly beginning to take root, coating the newly formed mound and hiding the tomb further away from any prying eyes. On top of the wall was Mare, who's body was outlined in a soft green glow.

"That's [Earth Surge] I believe." Momonga said to himself. "Impressive. He's using his Skill to extend his range and the effectiveness of his spell." Mare was clearly hard at work. On one hand, Momonga wanted to congratulate him on a job well done and give him a gift. On the other hand, he didn't want to disturb the dark elf as he was clearly in the middle of his job.

"Something the matter, my lord?" Demiurge asked, noting Momonga's hesitance.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about whether or not to give Mare a gift for his hard work. What do you propose would suffice?"

"I believe your presence alone would be enough for him."

That felt rather cheap. Momonga wanted to let Mare know how much this meant. How important his work was. Thinking further, he eventually found a solution and called his helmet back over his face and descended down to the wall, Demiurge following close behind him.

He set his feet down on the wall and approached Mare, who just now noticed his presence. Much like Demiurge, he too recognized Momonga in spite of the armor and rushed to greet him. "L-Lord Momonga! What're you doing here?" A fearful expression took hold as he lowered his head. "H-have I done something wrong?"

"No, you're doing fine." Momonga assured him, patting him on the head. The young boy seemed surprised at first, but glowed under his touch. "In fact, what you're doing is wonderful. I decided to give you a gift for your hard work."

"A gift?" A starry-eyed look appeared on Mare's face. A gift from Momonga himself may as well be considered a priceless treasure to the servants of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Momonga pulled another item from his inventory and placed it in Mare's hands. It was a golden ring with a purple jewel sitting on the crest.

The Ring of _Ainz Ooal Gown_.

"T-this is…!" Mare gasped, hands trembling. "B-but this is worn by the Supreme Beings! I-I couldn't possibly take this!"

Momonga laughed. "It's perfectly fine, Mare! Moving between floors can be rather tedious. This will make your tasks easier."

Mare still looked shellshocked, but he nonetheless nodded. With a trembling hand, he placed the ring on his finger. It was a bit big for him, but that problem was rectified when it shrunk to match the size of his finger.

"T-thank you very much, Lord Momonga!" Mare bowed deeply. "I will make great use of this! Um, i-if I may ask...what're you doing, traveling in that armor?"

"Urk! W-well, there's..."

"It's rather simple, Mare!"

A woman who's beauty could not hoped to be matched appeared, basking in the light of the moon. Under the luminous light, her beauty seemed even more otherworldly. Her jet black wings made her look as if she were an angel descending from the heavens, and her smile equal to a goddess.

"Lord Momonga merely wished to see how well we were doing our tasks and didn't want to get in the way of our work. Hence why he chose to disguise himself. Is that not so, Lord Momonga?"

That wasn't entirely true, but Momonga wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "That's right. You knew just what I was thinking, Albedo."

Albedo's smile grew as her feet touched the top of the wall, her wings shrinking in size. "I wish to believe that I know you better than anyone else, Lord Momonga." she said pleasantly. "I apologize for my abrupt entrance. I heard from one of Demiurge's Demon Lords that you were leaving the Tomb for a spell with Demiurge and rushed over. I wanted to discuss that intelligence..."

She trailed off when she saw the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown on Mare's finger. Momonga almost missed it, but a murderous rage appeared on her eyes, vanishing just as quickly as it appeared. Recognizing a very dangerous situation, he quickly grabbed another ring from his inventory.

He didn't want to tell Aura that her brother was killed because of Albedo's jealousy, after all.

"I'd almost forgotten! I wish to give this to you as well, Albedo." He handed Albedo the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, pracically shoving it into her grasp before she dared to think of harming the dark elf present. "Your job as Overseer of the Floor Guardians is very important, after all! This will make your job slightly easier."

Albedo's smile didn't match her eyes whatsoever, but the murderous intent behind them was gone. "Thank you for this gift, lord." she said gratefully as she bowed deeply. Her body trembled, as if she was holding something back.

"Demiurge. I'll prepare a ring for you as well another time."

"I understand, and will work hard to be worthy of such a gift, Lord Momonga."

"Very good! I will return now. I believe I've caused enough trouble for one day. K-keep up the good work!"

He quickly teleported back to his quarters. No sooner had left Momonga left did Albedo let out a triumphant roar.

"**FUCK YES**!"

* * *

A small village sat in wait, unaware of the dangers that it would soon face. Atop a cliff that overlooked the area, and directly below the village, a small group of individuals dressed in ratty clothing and armed with various weapons leered at the soon-to-be terrorized homestead.

They did not look like the standard brigand. Their weapons were worn, and their bodies boasted some experience. It was clear that this was not their first time ransacking a poor unsuspecting village. In fact, this was hardly one of their firsts. By now, thievery and murder came to them as easily as breathing.

There was not a single sympathetic soul among these bandits. Not a shred of weakness. If they had such thoughts, they would surely not be here. From the moment a new leader had been christened among them, the idea of weakness was purged and made damned sure that they would be able to fight and kill like Huntsmen out on a mission.

Standing at the head of this group of murderers and thieves was a woman with hair as black as the night sky and eyes the color of blood. She wore crimson red armor over a thin black yukata, a katana sitting firmly inside a sheathe at her hip. Under her arm was a white mask with red markings and multiple eyeholes.

"Make sure everything's ready for tomorrow." the woman said without an ounce of sympathy for her targets, much less any remorse. "It's time we herd the beasts to their next meal."

_ "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!_  
_By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—_  
_ Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,_  
_ It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—_  
_Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."_  
_ Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."  
-Edgar Allan Poe_


	3. Volume 1: Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

* * *

_Something Wicked This Way Comes_

* * *

Volume 1: The God of Death

* * *

**CHAPTER 2 | Grimm Tidings**

* * *

_**part 1**_

As an undead, Momonga did not need to sleep, nor would he require to eat or drink. At first, this was nothing unusual for him since in his former life all he ate were nutritional packs he ordered off the net. After a few days however, he began to miss the feeling of having a stomach that would growl and demand food when he was hungry or his throat feeling rather parched. He had attempted to see if he could, theoretically, consume sustenance, but to his dull surprise anything he ate simply just went down his bones and down to the floor.

He never knew he'd miss such simple pleasures, but for the time being, he had more pressing concerns.

Since he did not require sleep, Momonga had thrown himself into work. Despite ascertaining that Nazarick's security was being improved, they still had next to no information about their new surroundings. To this end, he ordered Aura and the Eight Edge Assassins work with Sebas to gather more information effectively. He also let curiosity get the better of him and wanted to see these strange black creatures that prowled the forest for himself. Demiurge once again accompanied him outside to see these creatures for himself.

They were curious beings, to be sure. In fact, it made Momonga wonder if it was possible to capture one. On a whim, he had his subordinates attempt to capture a few of these wolves, though he soon discovered from Demiurge that these efforts proved to be in vain. Shortly after the wolves were captured, their bodies began to break down into black flakes that disintegrated as soon as they took to the air.

Despite the loss of valuable specimens of research, Momonga was intrigued by this response. A way to prevent information from being leaked. It was similar to how prisoners of war and spies would often take poison to prevent any information from being leaked should they be interrogated. In this case, though, the wolves just turned into dust.

Outside of these experiments, Momonga had also taken to mingling with the NPCs in order to better gauge them. That, and he couldn't help but want to get to know the creations of his friends more. Up until this point, they had just been clumps of data given a physical body. Now, however, they had personalities and were able to express themselves. He had wiped away any doubts that they might betray him, but a small part of him still wanted to be careful.

Shalltear was...well, to be blunt, she was _definitely_ Peroroncino's creation. When Momonga had arrived on the 3rd Floor where she had taken up residence, he had caught her in the middle of having sex with one of her vampire brides. The sight brought forth untold arousal equal to when he groped Albedo's chest, but the feeling was soon squashed by some unseen force. This force also had to calm him down repeatedly as he soaked in the sight of the vampire brides being in maid uniforms and Shalltear dressed like some kind of dominatrix.

It had been an embarrassing moment for the True Vampire, but he held nothing against her. On his part, though, Momonga felt quite embarrassed and the whole thing felt awkward. Much to his relief, Shalltear had said that she still had other duties to attend to before promising to provide some entertainment for him when she was graced with the opportunity.

He shuddered to think what her idea of entertainment was.

On a whim, he visited the 4th Floor to see if Gargantua, the gigantic sentry that protected the entire floor, had developed any form of sentience as well. To his disappointment, it had not demonstrated any newfound intelligence. It reacted to his presence, yes, but it only offered a slow nod and said nothing. It just stood there in the lake, patiently awaiting orders like an obedient soldier.

In Momonga's personal opinion, it had been Cocytus who took the most after his creator. According to the servants who served under the Vermin Lord, every day he would practice in his domain without delay and train for hours on end, awaiting the time he would be graced with another challenger. He was delighted by the overlord's presence, but Momonga learned that of all the skills and talent Cocytus possessed, conversation was not one of them. He was a warrior, not a talker.

The giant bug took great delight when Momonga said he would like to test his abilities in a spar one day. For Cocytus, the opportunity to test his strength against the Supreme Being was like a dream come true and the highest honor for a warrior such as himself. Of course, Momonga also did this because he wanted to see how powerful the Guardians were.

Perhaps it would be worth testing them in various ways and see how well they performed?

Momonga didn't want to bother Demiurge or Albedo, as the two were still busy thinking up ways to devise an improved network of information gathering. So instead, Momonga had taken a visit to the 8th Floor. Due to this floor's importance, both in this trying time and in YGGDRASIL, Momonga had expressed that entry to this place was considered forbidden without his say. He wanted to trust them, but the importance of the 8th Floor was just far too great a risk. Perhaps one day he would, but not now.

As Aura was out with Sebas, Mare was tasked with guarding the 6th Floor by himself. Like the other day, the male dark elf was happy that Momonga had taken some time out of his busy schedule to speak with him. He didn't have much to talk about aside from how overbearing Aura could be at times. He loved his sister dearly, but there were some times when she could be a bit much. Especially when it came to tending her familiars, all of whom she cherished dearly as if they were her own children. He also expressed gratitude for the gift Momonga had given him, and vowed he would work twice as hard to be worthy of it.

The last visit was to the quarters of the Pleiades. To Momonga's slight frustrations, any time he attempted to make conversations the NPCs all gave designated responses or hesitant replies. They did clearly show they were overjoyed that he went out of his way to see them and speak with them, but they just couldn't think of anything worthwhile to speak of. The only one that had been more vocal than her sisters was Lupusregina Beta, but even then she offered very little in the way of conversation.

With what little time he had left, Momonga had also visited the rest of the NPCs. Outside of the Floor Guardians and their subordinates, there were many others, but these were designed solely for the sake of filling out empty space. They offered nothing in the way of combat value. All they could accomplish were menial tasks, such as cleaning, cooking and other chores.

That, to Momonga, was a problem. Them working diligently wasn't a problem at all. In fact, he was willing to praise them for it. What he had problems with was that _they didn't know when to stop_.

In the back of his mind, a conversation between him and Herohero played out like a fond memory.

–_I swear, I'm starting to look like my character. My company has been running me ragged. Eh? Has it really been two years? This is bad. Even my sense of time is so screwed up._

He didn't want them to work themselves like this. This was far too much like the corporate slaves in his workplace. Fearing that they would work themselves to death unless he didn't do something, Momonga quickly laid down some ground rules for the staff and began to restructure their work schedule, using personal experience as a basis. On the one hand, this made him feel like he was treating the staff like employees at a company, but on the other hand, his treatment towards them was far better than most corporate executives.

The less said about them, the better.

"Still, maybe I should learn to take my own advice..." Momonga muttered to himself as he looked at several pieces of paper in front of him. Since restructuring the work schedule of Nazarick's staff, he had also been devising other work plans to introduce at later times, such as rewards and breaks and whatnot. "It must have been three days since that time Demiurge and I went out of the Tomb."

A sharp knock drew his attention. "Lord Momonga, it is Albedo!" the Overseer announced. "Lord Sebas and Lady Aura have returned from their mission with the Eight-Edge Assassins."

_Whew! A break, finally._ "Send them in!"

The doors opened shortly afterwards. The head butler strode inside with measured steps while a carefree Aura followed close behind. Vague shapes resembling ants bearing deadly sickles for front legs also crawled into the room, taking up formation behind the two NPCs before they all together swept into a bow, heads pressed against the floor. Sebas, meanwhile, performed a low bow and Aura waving.

"We're back from our investigation, Lord Momonga! Did you miss us?"

"Mm, I did. As did Mare, as he had to look after your familiars in your absence. I apologize for not allowing them to go with you."

The dark elf waved her hand in dismissal. "It's fine, Lord Momonga."

"Now then, let's hear your report. We are already aware that Nazarick has been transported to some new location. Perhaps a new world entirely if the shattered moon is of any indication. But I'd like to hear what else you've discovered."

Sebas nodded sternly. "Of course, lord. To begin, in regards to the black creatures that prowl the forests, we've discovered other variants of these animals. So far, we've encountered wasps, reptiles, snakes and even some form of ghost. They all share the same characteristics, however: a black body and a white mask."

"The region we're in seems to mostly consist of mountain ranges and forests." Aura continued. "There were a few plains, but they weren't very big. We also explored the mountains and found a few settlements, but as you ordered we didn't interact with their inhabitants and maintained a safe distance without being spotted."

Momonga nodded, pleased. "I see. And what of the inhabitants? What are they?"

"They appear to be a mixture of humans and demihumans, Lord Momonga." Sebas explained. "However, the demihumans are different than those from YGGDRASIL as they seem to possess animalistic traits. Some possess tails and scales, others with horns sprouting from their foreheads and a few even have an extra set of ears."

_Hrm, if we're talking about animal features like a tail or ears, the demihumans could be werewolves and werecats and the like, but based on what Sebas is saying, they have other animal-like features as well._

This was good. It wasn't much, but they were learning more.

"Furthermore, it appears that most of the settlements we've discovered all seem to be built into the sides of the mountains. For the most part, their technology revolves around wind-powered contraptions and some mechanical pieces."

"There are also some other settlements in the forests too!" Aura added. "There's one very close by to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, underneath a small cliff lookout."

"Any chance of us being discovered?"

"None. It appears to be a small area of commerce, Lord Momonga. We've seen individuals who look to be traveling merchants stopping by on the streets and speaking with the village inhabitants. We have, however, determined that some of the humans were armed with weapons. They appear to be basic weapons such as spears and swords, but a few are odd in words I can't describe."

"I see..."

That sounded rather promising. Though given what he's heard, Momonga was slightly disappointed to hear that there weren't any sightings of a heteromorphic individual. It would have brought perhaps a hint or idea that players from YGGDRASIL like himself were brought here. He wouldn't have revealed himself, of course. There wasn't enough information yet.

Sebas' mention of weapons did pique his interest a bit, though. Given how he was a self-styled collector, and one of the main factors behind _Ainz Ooal Gown_'s acquisition of World Items, he was interested in these weapons that the butler couldn't define.

For now, there was another topic Momonga had thought about. "Aura. One of the jobs Bukubukuchagama gave you was the ranger job, right?"

"Yep! I can tame anything below Level 40!"

If he could, Momonga would have smiled. "Perfect! There's an experiment I wish to perform with your skillset." Aura beamed at this. A chance to prove her worth to Momonga was an opportunity she would not pass up. "Sebas, stay here for the time being. I'd like some assistance when I use the Mirror of Remote Viewing. I wish to see if its functions have changed with our arrival to this new land."

"Of course, my lord."

* * *

Unlike before, Momonga didn't reject the protection of the Pleiades, though he did argue that only one would suffice. Narberal Gamma was the lucky one chosen to guard his person, something that seemed to make the rest of the Pleiades Battle Maids green with envy. Aura had a noticable bounce in her steps as she walked with Momonga and leaving the tomb. The sky was bright azure with nary a cloud in sight. The beaming sunlight created a rather serene image, if only slightly ruined by the patrolling undead skeletons.

Momonga had run a few tests with them as well. Similar to his summons, he could form a weak, but solid mental connection and issue them orders. They noticed his approach and all bowed their heads in respect. In turn, Momonga gave them a brief nod of acknowledgement before leading Aura into the nearby forest.

"I'm sure Demiurge has already informed you, but when we attempted to capture these black creatures, they die while in our captivity. I'm hoping your ranger skill might be able to allow us to tame them and prevent them from dying."

Aura let out a small "aah" of understanding. "I see. Interesting! I can't wait to put my skills to the test, then. By the way, Lord Momonga. Is it true they apparently break down into smoke?"

"Yeah. And unfortunately, they don't leave anything behind."

"Ah, darn! I was hoping I could make a pelt or something."

Momonga felt the same. The materials he felt they could drop would be worth treasuring, if only to understand their value.

Their search didn't last for very long. They had just entered a small clearing when a creature shambled into view, snout raised into the air. This was the first time Momonga had seen these fabled black creatures in person. It was about as big as a Nephilim heteromorphic, which stood about seven to eight feet tall. The body was human-like, but it prowled like a beast and was armed with sharp claws on its hind legs and arms. The ivory mask that sat over its face was marked by red designs, though upon closer look Momonga realized that the mask wasn't sitting on its face. It was exposed bone.

"Interesting..."

The giant wolf saw them and craned its head, staring at them in mild interest and confusion before it huffed and turned away. _Just like Aura and Sebas said. They're non-hostile._ Momonga thought. _Though they'll probably fight back if __we wish to engage. I don't want to be caught with my pants down my legs, so just to be on the safe side…_

Momonga raised a bony hand. "[Widen Magic: Data Cage]." The spell was a Third-tier support spell, specifically meant to prevent any peeping toms from catching sight of a battle in progress. One of the most frustrating instances of unwanted difficulty was when players were in the middle of a fight and a new enemy joined the fray when it caught sight of one well underway. Data Cage more or less hid anyone inside its field of effect from view and lasted for about two minutes.

This way, in case of unwanted trouble showed up, they wouldn't be able to interfere with something they couldn't see.

"Aura, if you would."

The dark elf nodded excitedly and sped over to the wolf. "Heya, big guy!" he greeted. The creature backpedaled and growled, taking Aura's invasion of its personal space as a hostile action and stood on its hind legs. A threatening gesture, but ultimately useless. "Aw, don't worry~ I don't bite! Just calm down for a second. This'll be quick!"

She raised a hand, and a thin veil of power swallowed her and the wolf. The black beast froze for a moment before its body went slack, falling back to all fours. It's head was lowered and the yellow lights in its eyes dimmed, turning to a light shade of green.

The taming was a success. Momonga did pout inwardly, hoping there'd be a little more fanfare like say the beast fighting back against the taming or something.

"Splendid, Aura." Momonga said in earnest, bringing a blush to her cheeks. "It seems the taming was a success. Were you able to form a mental bond with it?"

"Yes, Lord Momonga. This little poochie is a Level 2 Beowolf!"

_Beowolf? Like the poem?_ Momonga questioned in his head. "Level 2, hm? Explains why it submitted so easily. Anything else?"

"It's apparently something called a Grimm. This one strayed away from its pack and was trying to find them when it came across us. Nazarick is also pretty close to its hunting grounds."

"Anything else you can gleam?"

"Well, they do spawn for starters, but the Grimm also vary in form and size. The older the Grimm, the more experienced it is."

_I see. It's just like the old saying! With age comes experience. Which means these things start off as mindless, but if they live long enough, they can learn to think. Hm, this is pretty interesting. I wonder if it would be possible to raise one and see how well it would fare in a high-level environment? Would we be able to apply the grooming methods from YGGDRASIL to it?_

Before he allowed himself to be lost in the whirlwind of possibilities, Momonga cut himself off and focused on the present matter. "Take the Beowolf back to Nazarick, but make sure the two of you are still bonded. If possible, see if you can't bond it with someone else with the ranger job class. If it doesn't die while in captivity, we may have a valuable research specimen."

"Got it!" Aura then went to gushing and showering the named Beowolf in affection, running her gloves through its thick pelt. The Grimm seemed to enjoy as it let out a low whine and push its head against her, demanding affection.

He wouldn't lie. It was pretty adorable. If Bukubukuchagama were here, she'd probably go nuts.

_**part 2**_

Shiroyuki village was not very far from the outskirts of the Mistral border. While it was close to the known Beowolf hunting grounds, the inhabitants had made sure to stay out of the way and keep their distance. When a Grimm did get too close to their liking, they either managed to scare it off or kill it, the latter of which was only possible if there was only one or two. Any more, and they'd risk pushing themselves too far.

The village itself was unremarkable. It was surprisingly well-off for a settlement so far away from the main city, though this was attributed to it being a trade center for merchants who had just docked at the shoreline. Through continuous income, the villagers were able to hire local Huntsman and even pay for new defensive measures.

Twelve-meter high walls made of stone and wood encircled the village, with lookout towers set at the East and West sides. Shiroyuki wasn't far big, perhaps the size of three street blocks. This also led to the inhabitants being a close-knit community, so information was shared freely. Of course, since the village was welcoming to merchants, it was also home to a few unsavory characters. This was not unusual, given Mistral's history for its shady criminal underground businesses and whatnot. In fact, Shiroyuki was home to a free criminals looking for a fresh start.

Kyle Blut was one of those criminals. A former thief who had one too many run-ins with Atlesian law forces, he had managed to escape from Atlas and headed towards Mistral. He had spent the majority of his earnings to start fresh in Shiroyuki, and even more to establish a new identity in Mistral. It was a risk to hide out in a town where merchants and businessmen from all over Remnant came to deal trade and make deals, but a thief had to take risks. And where better to hide than the most obvious place in the Kingdom?

The years of his old career hadn't been kind to Kyle, as his hair had already begun to sprout a few gray strands. At the age of forty, he now had skunk stripes running across the right side of his red hair. A small scar ran down the left side of his face; a trophy from his last job, having earned it from a white-haired beauty that he didn't dare meet again. Though he had been out of the game for well over a decade, his build was still quite athletic and sported enough muscle to have defined pectorals and biceps. His rust-red eyes were keen and sharp, always scanning for even the slightest threat that could put an end to his peaceful life.

Since settling down, Kyle had given up the lockpick and dagger for a hoe and farming. Not the most ideal retirement, but it put food on the table. He had even managed to find love in the form of a young farm girl who had quickly taken a fancy to him. It was only recently that they finally had the children they had been trying so hard for. One of them, a three-year-old girl with light brown hair and a bushy tail with a ring near the end happily ran through the field while being chased by her elder brother.

Grunting, the former thief tore the hoe out from the soil and sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He inspected his work, then frowned. "...poor harvest this month." he muttered. "Hope it isn't a bad sign."

Shiroyuki was home to more than a few superstitions. Some of the outlandish ones he had heard involved good tidings in the form of a rabbit biting you in the ankle. How that one came to be, he wasn't interested in learning.

Kyle wasn't too concerned with how the bumper crop was turning out, though. He had more than enough food to last his family for the upcoming seasons. Winter was fast approaching, and plants didn't like to grow in soil soaked in snow. Worse, the Beowolf's hunting grounds became very active as game became more prominent. He'd like to believe he was still good with a dagger and a bow, but fighting a Grimm was more suitable for Huntsmen, not a thief.

"Come on! Catch me if you can!" his youngest daughter laughed while her brother fruitlessly tried to keep up. Though he was older than her by three years, he could never hope to match the cheery sugar rush of a three-year old. Then again, perhaps her traits as a Raccoon Faunus also helped? Furry little buggers were fast.

Shaking his head in amusement, he set the hoe on his shoulder and grabbed his bag of what little harvest he could gather. "Come along, you two!" he called. "It's time to head on home."

"Coming, papa!"

Kyle smiled, but then lost it as he noticed something in the distance. Not far away was a treeline, along with a path that led directly to the forest. It didn't lead to the Beowolves' hunting grounds, but it did branch off into some of the more Grimm populated areas. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that maybe a Grimm had gotten curious and followed the trail. That was what Kyle thought when he saw shadowy figures within the treeline.

Then he realized, with dread, that he was wrong. What he saw was worse. His aged body was already moving as he grabbed his children in haste. He only made it four steps when an arrow had stuck itself into his shoulder.

The Branwen Tribe's raid had begun.

* * *

_Confound it all, this mirror's a real pain in the ass!_

It hadn't even been an hour and already Momonga felt like chucking the Mirror of Remote Viewing. It had been so easy to operate before through the system and menus of YGGDRASIL, but thanks to being transported to some new world, the way it operated had changed. He had to connect to it via a mental link and move it about manually with his hands. It was very annoying, and not to mention the mirror was tempermental.

Sebas, bless the man's heart, had the patience of Buddha as he calmly watched his lord operate the mirror. Momonga's eyes glowered in frustration as he swung his bony hands outward with a swipe. To his delightful surprise, the mirror had zoomed in. "Well done, my lord!"

Momonga pretended it was praise the butler was singing and not playful mocking. At least he thought it was mocking, but he doubted Sebas could actually _be_ mocking. He was polite and curteous, even to Demiurge who Momonga saw he had some tension with.

_Well, at least I kind of know how to move it._ Momonga thought with relief. _I might as well see the settlements that Sebas and Aura described to me. Let's see… They mentioned that there was a village close to where Nazarick is now, right? Hrm, I'm worried that we might be discovered, even though Mare concealed the tomb with dirt illusions. Maybe it would be a good idea to post some sentries. Would the Eight-Edge suffice?_

It was worth thinking of later. He began to operate the Mirror of Remote Viewing in search of the village. It didn't take him very long to find it after he reset the mirror's position. It wasn't very large, but its design was a mix of medieval and modern. Actually, it kind of looked like there were some steampunk elements mixed in too, as he saw one building look a lot like a refinery of some sort with large tubs sticking out from the tube and sticking out from the back of the building and crawling up the side of another building, this one having a smoke stack.

Of course, that wasn't what caught his eyes. The glow in his eyes dimmed slightly as he examined the festivies playing out. People were running about and away from a group, all armed to the teeth. Some had taken to demolishing nearby buildings or setting them ablaze.

"A festival?" he questioned.

Sebas shook his head gravely. "I think not, Lord Momonga."

Indeed, for no festival would surely have people slaughtering each other. The ruffians were targeting anyone unfortunate enough to be nearby. Some were captured and tied down. Others were killed on the spot when they resisted. One man in particular had found himself being thrown to the ground after he punched one of the bandits and received a gunshot to the head for his troubles.

This was no festival. This was a massacre. Or rather a raid. Momonga watched it all happen with barely any reaction. In fact, he felt almost...bored? No, that couldn't be right. Surely he would have felt pity for these people, or something.

_If I had seen something like this happen in my old body, I think I would have puked my guts or fell in shock. Have I really lost so much of my humanity already…?_

The mirror showed him a red-haired man fighting valiantly against his attackers. From inside the house behind him, Momonga saw what appeared to be children hiding away inside a closet. The man did not last long as he was unceremoniously stabbed through the chest and pinned to the floor before another bandit cut his throat.

For a moment, Momonga could have sworn the man was looking at him as blood spewed from his throat, his eyes turning dull with each second.

"My Lord?" Sebas' voice pulled him away. "What do you wish to do?"

To Momonga's inner surprise, his words were cold and uncaring to the plight before him. "Nothing. There's no benefit for us to help these people." In truth, he did feel something. Maybe a little disappointed, but why he couldn't figure out. As he was about to pull away and retire for the day, he saw Sebas' look of disappointment but acknowledgement.

At that moment–!

––_Saving someone who needs help is just common sense._

Behind Sebas was a phantom image. The image of the man who gave Momonga the courage he needed to continue playing YGGDRASIL. The man who introduced him to the people he thought of as his true friends. The man who helped him create _Ainz Ooal Gown_.

"Touch Me..."

Momonga sat in silence before he chuckled and shook his head. How very hypocritical of him. If his friend were here to see this, he would have been disappointed in him. Perhaps he expressed this through Sebas, the NPC he created with so much love and care for. In a way, Sebas Tian represented Touch Me, for though that silver paladin of justice was no longer here, his presence continued to linger.

"I suppose I can repay my debt." Momonga said before he turned to Sebas. "Sebas! Raise Nazarick's security to the maximum level. I'm heading to that village. Inform Albedo. Tell her to arm herself."

Sebas' eyes widened, but then turned steely and his face serious. "At once, Lord Momonga!"

_I didn't feel anything when I saw those people being killed. I guess it's for real. There's no humanity left in me._ Momonga though as he waved his hand, creating a doorway of shifting darkness. _But, even so… I suppose I can "pretend" to be human, just this once. Touch Me. Please watch over me as I try to do what you did for me._

* * *

Lila C. Blut whimpered as she held herself close to her brother Wein. Neither dared to move or breathe as the sounds of struggling ceased outside. They hid in the cupboard beneath the stairwell of their house. In their haste, they had forgotten to lock the door, but they made no move to correct the error.

Not when the men who murdered their father in cold blood had entered the house.

"Dammit, I got blood all over my shoes!"

"Told you should have just stabbed him in the heart. Instead, you just had to go for the throat."

"They suffer more if I do that. Sure, it's only for a few seconds, but the look on their faces as you watch 'em realize they're gonna be dead in a few moments… It's the best feeling in the world!"

"You really are a sadistic son of a bitch, aren't you? C'mon, let's hurry up and loot the place! If we dally, the Grimm'll be here. And you know the boss won't come around to save our asses."

Loud footsteps and chatter filled the empty house. For once, Wein was glad that his mother was rarely ever home. If she had, she would have shared their father's fate. He didn't want that. He didn't want to have to lose both his parents.

He needed to find a way to escape. At the very least, he had to protect his kid sister. He couldn't let the bandits find them.

"I-I'm scared..." Lila whispered, shaking horribly. "Wh-what happened to daddy…?"

She was too young to understand. She didn't see what happened. But he did. He knew what happened, and he didn't know what to tell her. He cursed his weakness.

"Hey, look at this. Family photo. Guy's got a hot wife."

"Cute kids. Think they're in the house somewhere?"

"Probably."

"Hey, what do we do if we find 'em? Should we sell them?"

"_Sell them_?! Are you out of your fucking mind? Do you know what the Head will do to you if she heard that kind of talk?!"

"Oh, come on! Not like she'll notice."

"Like hell she won't! You know the rules! No slave or bed warmers! Do you not remember what happened to the last bastard who tried that shit?!"

"Fine, fine. Take a chill pill."

_Scum! You're both scum!_ Wein roared in his heart, hot tears falling down his chubby cheeks. He clamped his hands over Lila's ears so she wouldn't have to hear this sort of talk. He wanted nothing more than to kill these men. But he couldn't. He was too small. Too _weak_. He would surely die if he tried. And then they would find Lila. Who knows what they would-

_Squeak squeak! Squeak squeak!_

Wein's heart went still. Slowly, and afraid to look, he turned his head. There was a rat clawing at the door. Its tiny paws were pushing against it, attempting to get free. "Stop!" he hissed, trying to get it to move. "Stop! You'll give us away!"

The rat did not listen. It continued to claw until the door began to move. His heart began to hammer against his chest. His only option would be to grab the rat and toss it, but the floor was so old it would surely make noise. One small move, and the bandits would hear. What should he do? What could he do?

A push, and the door was pulled open. The rat scurried off and left the two children for dead. The house suddenly went still. No noise to be heard. Not a sound. It was deathly quiet. For a moment, Wein thought that the bandits had left. Did he dare hope?

"B-big brother…?"

"I..."

The door was ripped right off its hinges. Without any warning, a hand snatched a fistful of Wein's hair. Lila's ear-piercing scream rang in the air as the poor boy was thrown across the hall, back slamming into the wall with a thud. He fell to the floor, wheezing and clutching his bruised side. He felt his lungs burning. Two of his ribs had fractured when he hit the ground.

"Well, what do you know? There _were_ kids here!" one of the bandits sneered as he grabbed Lila by the collar of her shirt. She kicked and flailed and screamed, sobbing and sniffling and crying all the while. "And hey, this little brat's a Faunus! We're in luck!"

His friend narrowed his eyes. They were cold like Kyle's, but there was a ruthless edge to them. A look that said he would have no qualms killing a child. "Don't even think about it. The tail's too small. It wouldn't sell for much."

"Yeah, true..."

"Let her go…!" Wein wheezed, trying and failing to stand. He rose up to his feet, but he was kicked aside by the bandit holding his sister. The boot smashed into his stomach and threw him even further down the hall. "Guh!"

"Noisy brat." the bandit huffed as he threw the brat in his hand over to him, her body bouncing off the wooden floor. Lila cried as she cradled her arm, having landed on it and hurting it in the process. Her body was much frailer than Wein's. Hearing her whining, the bandit quickly grew agitated. "God dammit, quit it! You're gonna bring Grimm here, ya stupid runts!"

"Then hurry up and kill them. We don't got time for this shit." the other bandit said coldly. "I'll get to looting."

Wein pulled himself closer to Lila, holding her with one arm. She didn't stop crying. The bandit approached with heavy footfalls, a dangerous look in his eye as he took out a blade covered in red stains. It was the same sword that had killed their father not ten minutes ago. In a morbid sense of relief, Wein thought about how it would be nice to die by the same blade that killed their father. It would be a quick cut, he hoped. A single slice that would end both their lives. He didn't want his sister to suffer, and neither did he wish to die in agony.

His only regret was not being able to buy the birthday present he had been eyeing at the market for his mother.

The bandit raised his blade over his head, intending to bring it down upon them. It would be a single strike. A quick kill. Wein pressed Lila against his chest so she wouldn't have to kill. He closed his eyes and waited for the end to come. It felt like time had slowed down to a crawl. He had read about this happening, how time just seemed to slow and your life flashed before your eyes. Wein recalled about all the happy times his family had together. How his father would joke about his former exploits in Atlas. How his mother would chide him for telling such stories.

Such happy times.

A second. A minute. An hour. Wein wasn't sure how much time had gone by before he realized that the blade that would have ended his and Lila's life had not come. Did he dare open his eyes? Did he dare hope that the bandit had changed his mind?

He risked it. He looked up and found the bandit staring not at him with the same cold leer as before. Instead, he was staring at something in the doorway with a mixture of fascination and dread.

The air had suddenly turned cold. An unpleasant shiver crawled up Wein's back. He felt as though death had just walked over him, yet allowed him to live. He carefully looked over his shoulder and found the door leading outside to be swallowed by a corridor of shifting, bright darkness. It was such an odd contradiction. There was light mixed together in the blackness that made up whatever it was, and it moved as if it were alive.

_What is…_

Then, death came. At that moment, Wein realized that his execution had only been delayed and his death would not come at the hands of the bandits.

The reaper himself had decided to come and take his life.

Death stepped out from the shadows, dressed in a lavish ornate robe that hid its bony body. A hood covered some of its fearsome skull, blood red fires lit in its sockets while a dark halo of light shimmered behind it. Beautiful rings just like the ones his father had described to him so long ago decorated its thin spider-like fingers. Ornate jewels were etched into its robes. Inside its ribcage was a pulsating red core, pulsating as if it were its heart.

The reactions were instantaneous to death's arrival. The bandit's grip on the sword turned near slack and the color drained from his face. Before he had a chance to scream, death raised its hand and spoke in a grave, cold voice that could not be ignored even if one plugged their ears.

"[Grasp Heart]."

_Squish_.

The sound of something wet being crushed entered Wein's ears, followed by the bandit falling to the floor in a motionless heap. In death's hand was a ghostly image that looked oh-so real. A crushed heart with fresh blood flowing down its claws. Death stared at its hand in fascination as if it was the first time it had killed.

"Interesting. Whenever I casted that spell, it never did that. Still, I'm glad that it worked. Had I been unable to cast tier nine magic, I would have retreated." It paused briefly before it let out a cold laugh. "I didn't feel a thing when I watched you murder those people in the village. And even now, when I've just killed a man in cold blood, I still feel nothing. Not even satisfaction. I suppose I truly have lost all of my humanity. Ah, oh well..."

It took a step forward. The sole surviving bandit in the house took a step back, immediately causing death to gaze at him with irritation and confusion.

"What's the matter?" death mocked him. "You had no problems ordering the death of a child. Or is it because you're scared of facing someone who can actually fight back? Well, not that it matters." The fires in its sockets intensified. "You'll help me in my experiments, won't you?"

"M-monster!" the bandit cried in horror as he turned his back.

A foolish mistake that costed him his life. "[Dragon Lightning]!" Thunder roared from death's fingertip. A straight line of electricity pierced straight through the bandit, its intense heat roasting him from the inside out in a mere second. What had once been a human being was now a steaming hot lump of human-shaped coal. "Hmph. Didn't even withstand a tier five spell. How disappointing."

Death turned away from his kill and to the two whimpering children. Wein dared not speak, for if he had, he feared his life would be forfeit. At that moment, something else stepped out from the door of darkness. A figure clad in jet black armor with a gigantic polearm with a wicked-looking blade.

_**part 3**_

"Apologies, Lord Momonga." Albedo said sincerely as she bowed her head. Despite wearing armor, she made not a single clanking sound. She was deathly silent in her movements. "It took a bit of time to prepare."

Momonga waved a hand in dismissal. "It's fine, Albedo. You're here, that is all that matters. I just finished things up here. I haven't tested to see if anything past tier ten functions properly, but it seems our magic works just fine outside of Nazarick."

It had been an outstanding test, all things considered. He used Grasp Heart on a mere whim, and also because he had not used it in a while. While the effect of actually crushing a still-beating heart was a surprise, it was also a delightful one all the same. A shocking fact for the being that was once Satoru Suzuki. His mind was truly acting just like that of an undead.

That was unimportant, though. He had other things to do. More important things, like following in Touch Me's footsteps. He had made his decision to defend the village, and he was going to make damn sure he followed through on his word. Turning towards the corpses, he looked at the heartless corpse at his feet and looked for any discerning feature that could help him single out the bandits.

He took notice of the man's equipment and weapons. They were surprisingly well-worn, likely having seen a fair amount of wear and use over the years. There wasn't a defining feature or anything that could separate the bandits from the guards protecting the village. If anything, it would be catching the invading party in the act and their personality that would help determine who was friend and who was foe.

Momonga sighed. _Oh, well. At any rate, let's see if summoning still works!_ While he had used summoning spells, he had not done any attempt to summon undead-type creatures. Only certain monsters such as wolves had been called upon. "[Create Middle-Tier Undead]." Momonga chanted as a dark aura expanded from his body, then fell into the human-shaped lump of charcoal at the end of the hall.

A series of grotesque crunches filled the air. Bones shattered, twisted and mended while flesh was torn apart and pieced back together, expanding and forming into a mockery of life. Metal began to push up from the exposed and pitch-black flesh that quickly rotted away and became a fleshy mixture of bone and metal. It twitched and stirred, forming into a shape: a creature made of rotting flesh and broken bones, covered in black steel armor. Its face was gaunt, possessing only sockets and a lopsided jaw with shark-like teeth.

Behind Momonga, Wein felt Lila stir underneath him, but he kept her face buried in his chest. He would not allow her to look upon the incarnation of violence that the magic caster had brought to life.

_It used a dead body to bring itself to life? That never happened in YGGDRASIL!_ Momonga thought with some revulsion and awe.

This was one of the slightly stronger summons a Skeleton Mage could muster. A Death Knight. They were typically used to draw the aggro away from casters and become targets of attack, perfect for defense. It was armed with a Flamerg and a Tower Shield, commonly considered to be a well-rounded combo of equipment.

Yet whereas before in YGGDRASIL, where it was just a mindless drone acting upon the orders of the caster, there was killing intent and murderous rage emanating from its body. Bloodlust leaked from its very being. It demanded that its lust for battle be satiated. Momonga was all too happy to let it run loose. However, he couldn't just let it go about aimlessly and kill the villagers by accident. He needed to direct it.

Besides, a Death Knight was summoned for the task of protecting its summoner.

"A splendid summoning, Lord Momonga!" Albedo praised despite knowing that calling upon a Death Knight was little more than child's play. Momonga accepted it nonetheless and nodded as he turned around. He finally took notice of the cowering children. Albedo saw them as well. Her body went ramrod straight, and her voice turned steely. "My lord… What would you like me to do with these inferior life forms?"

_...wait, what? "Inferior life forms?"_ Momonga stared at her, his jaw slack. It took him a moment to collect himself and coughed into his hand. "Didn't Sebas tell you? I'm going to save this village! Killing these children and the villagers is prohibited!"

"Understood!"

It was clear that she regarded them with contempt, but she obeyed his words. Inwardly, he felt disappointed in Albedo. While he didn't feel anything from the slaughter that was being committed, he had hoped Albedo had some shred of humanity. Instead, she was every inch the grotesque monster she was designed to be. He was going to have to fix that at some point.

Momonga stepped closer to the children. The copper-haired boy didn't look away, but he shielded his sister. It was clear that he was terribly shaken by what had just happened, and he had no doubt his appearance had made the boy terrified out of his mind. After all, an undead stood before him after it had just killed two men with ease.

"P-please..." the boy whispered as he bowed his head deeply. "I beg of you! Kill me if you wish, but spare my sister!"

Murderous intent flooded the house and threatened to swallow it whole. "You worthless insect!" Albedo howled, raising her baridsche to cut the children down. "How dare you ask such a thing?!"

Momonga growled. "Albedo, stand down! _Now_!" Cowering before his anger, Albedo immediately retracted her weapon and made no further movements. He sighed to himself. _I really should have put on some kind of disguise before coming here. This would have gone a lot easier._

Oh well. No use crying over spoiled milk now.

"I have no intention of killing you." he told the children, his tone becoming softer. "I intend to save this village." The boy stared at him with wide eyes before he hissed, clutching his side. "Hm, you appear to be injured..." He pulled an item out from his inventory; a vial with crimson liquid sloshing inside. "Use this. It'll heal your wounds."

He put the vial down on the floor. The boy looked at it warily, noting how it looked like blood. Feeling Albedo's eyes on him, though, he quickly grabbed the vial and undid the cap, swallowing the contents. A soft glow permeated through his being. His eyes widened as the scuffs and bruises on his body vanished as if they were never there to begin with.

"How…?"

"Is..." the little girl under his arms called weakly. "Is it over, big brother…?" Gently, he allowed the girl to pull herself up. Momonga took notice of her tail, recognizing the pattern.

_A raccoon tail? Was there a raccoon demihuman in YGGDRASIL?_

Predictably, the poor girl reacted the same as her brother and yelped, clinging to Wein tightly and burying her face in his shoulder. He didn't know what she was scared of more, him or the Death Knight behind him.

"You have nothing to be afraid of child." Momonga told her. "As I said, I intend to protect your village. Tell me, do you know who these men are?"

Wein slowly nodded. "Y-yes… They're bandits. Father said they belong to the Branwen Tribe."

_Branwen, huh? I'll have to keep that in mind._

"Do you know what magic is?"

"Magic? L-like from the story books?"

So magic was a fairy tale concept here? That might make things more troublesome than they needed to be. But on the other hand, it could provide him with the element of surprise, assuming magic did not exist in this world. Regardless, Momonga nodded. "Yes. I use magic. Hold still for a moment." He raised his hand and began casting different passives. "[Wall of Protection from Arrows]. [Anti-Life Cocoon]." Sigils danced and encircled the children. "These should protect you from any further threats. If you do need further protection, use this."

He threw a pair of horns at the boy. To Momonga, it was little more than a cheap mob item he got from killing goblins.

"That horn will summon forth a small army of goblins for you to command. That should be enough to protect you."

With that done, Momonga stepped out of the house and into the new world for the first time. The Death Knight and Albedo followed behind him, though the former had no choice but to smash through the doorframe and create a giant hole in the front entrance, seeing as how it wouldn't be able to fit through the door.

As he was about to depart for the village, the boy cried out to him. "P-please, wait!" Momonga turned and found the boy pressing his hand against the floor, performing the sieza. The girl did the same, albeit shaking as she did. "T-thank you..." Wein sobbed. "Thank you so much… P-please, mister reaper, tell me your name!"

Reaper? Well, he did look the part. All he really needed was a scythe and he was set. Pushing the playful thought aside, Momonga opened his mouth to answer before he paused, thinking further on how to reply.

Eventually, he reached his answer.

"...you will do well to remember this name, young one. Carve it into your mind for as long as you live." he said as he turned to face the boy, Negative Aura surrounding his body and the flames in his eyes burning with intensity. "I am...**Ainz Ooal Gown**!"

* * *

In ten minutes of terror, bloodshed and death the Branwen Tribe had finished their task. Shiroyuki differed in previous marks, so Raven had to change tactics. She couldn't just stage an assault, gather negativity then pull back and let the Grimm rush in. This village was defended. She had to cripple it. The assault was done in a pincer, one group attacking from behind and the other at the front. This way, attention and defense would be divided.

She allowed free reign of the assault to some of her more capable men. Vernal chose to stay behind because she felt attacking Shiroyuki was a waste of time to her. She didn't realize that she was saving herself for death.

The surviving villagers had been rounded up and bound in rope, gathered in the center of the village. The Huntsmen were either killed or also rounded up with the rest of them. The bandits felt that this would be easy. Gather all the targets in one place so the Grimm would go after them first. After that, they'd wipe out the stragglers and then have free reign to loot the village however they pleased.

They did not realize, however, that this would be their last successful operation.

"**ShrrrAaaAGhh**!"

It was a death knell that sounded like the strangled cry of a monster. Human, and at the same time not human. It pierced the air like a shrieking banshee and made itself known as an avatar of death and despair, emerging onto the stage like an expert actor. Its sudden appearance and demented figure shocked all present, especially the bandits who had never seen a monster such as this.

Their first thought had been it was a Grimm. It was, after all, the most common monster that roamed Remnant. However, the creature before them shared none of the traits associated with the creatures they had experience in dealing with. All Grimm, with the exception of the rare albino types, were jet black and wore white ivory masks. This monstrosity before them had none of that. It was a human-shaped mess of broken bones and rotting flesh, armed with a giant shield and jagged blade. Armor coated its decaying body, save for the head which bore its unholy gaze proudly.

It had appeared without any sort of warning. It almost felt as if it had just dropped out from the sky. The bandits recoiled and raised their weapons, unsure whether to engage or flee. They had to reign themselves in. Too much negativity would draw far too many Grimm for their liking.

"Afternoon, gentlemen." a voice called out to them from up above.

To their immense surprise, a figure was floating high above them – perhaps with the aid of a Semblance. Their form was obscured by an ornate cloak that must have been worth millions and a red mask with a mocking smile. Accompanying them was a black armored figure, obviously female by the shapely figure and wielding a wicked polearm. They descended to the ground, feet landing softly in the dirt before they approached.

The robed man raised his arms. "I am Ainz Ooal Gown. I have but one thing to say to vermin such as yourselves."

His next words were a question. One that would determine their lives.

"Obey, or die. Which will you choose?"

_"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb _  
_and by the word of their testimony, for they loved _  
_not their lives even unto death"  
_-_Revelations 12:11_


	4. Volume 1: Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

* * *

_Something Wicked This Way Comes_

* * *

Volume 1: The God of Death

* * *

**CHAPTER 3 | Massacre**

* * *

_**part 1**_

"Obey, or die. Which will you choose?"

Momonga spoke those words with the intent of instilling fear and dread into them while he took count of their numbers and examined their weaponry. Like the bandits from the house, their attire was well-worn from years of use out on the field. The weapons mostly consisted of firearms, swords, spears and even twin daggers. The firearms took him slightly by surprise, given that what he saw didn't exactly paint a close modern picture. He also took count of the villagers' expressions.

Much like the two children, he couldn't tell what scared them more. He was placing bets on the Death Knight this time around, since it looked like it came straight out of a horror film. The appearance of a masked stranger didn't help ease their worries either, but that was irrelevant for now. They should just be happy he was saving their hides. Come to think of it, though, what would be a good way to get information from them? Obviously, him demonstrating otherworldly feats based on what little information he had on the moment would put him in a bind, so he could always just use memory manipulation. It would be easy, just get his information and leave.

Well, then again, he supposed it all depended on what they told him.

[Lord Momonga.] Albedo's voice echoed in his head as she contacted him via [Message]. [I just received a report from one of the Eight-Edge Assassins you had guarding the perimeter of Nazarick. It seems there are a large number of those Grimm creatures heading towards the village. What should we do?]

They were on the move? Well, that was annoying. Momonga wanted this to be his big debut in this world, however brief, and he didn't want anything to ruin it. With a hint of irritation he gave the following order. [Subdue them, but do not kill them. Contact Aura and gather anyone in Nazarick with the ranger job class to tame them, and bring them to Nazarick for further study.]

[At once, Lord Momonga!]

A lone bandit, who was quivering in his boots and gripping his dagger in a shaky grip, spoke up nervously. "W-what do you mean? We don't understand what you meant! Explain yourself!"

Momonga raised a hand to stop a furious Albedo from killing him for his arrogance. "I don't like repeating myself, so I'll say this once. As of this moment, you lot have two choices: to submit to me or resist. Submit to me and I'll spare half of you so that you may return to your owner. Resist, and only one of you will live to speak of what has transpired here." From beneath his mask, his gaze hardened and his flames grew more intense. Negative Aura expanded. "Obey, or die. _Which will you choose_?"

There was no answer at first. Fear had consumed them whole. They stared at the face of absolute death, and its grip on them was firm. This was completely different from how things had been before. For as long as they could remember, ever since Raven returned to the tribe and assumed her position as the new Tribe Head, they had been going through an easy streak. The old leadership was by no means a slouch, but things had become tense. Infighting and civil struggles had proven troublesome. It seemed like, at the time, that the tribe would be destroyed not by authorities but by themselves.

Under Raven's new leadership, however, they had reached new heights. They had little to no losses in any of their raids. The former desenters had either quelled their complaints or were mercilessly slaughtered when they dared to raise their blades against her. It was a short and bloody affair, and she made her rule very clear.

"You are with me, or against me." Those were the unsaid words that solidified their allegiance. Not a single person didn't dare to reject.

Up until this point, they only feared the woman who led them. Ever since she returned, she had gotten stronger. More than that, she possessed power. Power unlike anything they had seen. Yet now another person possessed dangerous power, and it stood before them like the reaper. None of them wanted to move, out of fear that it would be seen as an act of aggression. Not that it would have mattered. This man had told them to their faces that many of them were going to die.

Either half of them lived, or only one of them survived.

Of course, what they didn't realize was that Momonga knew full well that there would be dissention. After stating that he'd allow a meager few to live, the bandits would no doubt fight among themselves. They were a selfish bunch. If they did possess any loyalty, the threat he dangled in front of their faces would destroy it.

And much to his joy, one of the bandits spoke for his comrades. "Go to hell!"

He raised his gun and pulled the trigger before anyone could stop them. The bullet was fired from its chamber and shot straight for him. To Momonga, the bullet may as well have been in slow motion. He was about to dodge and send it back, but Albedo was faster than he was. She was in front of him in moments, swinging her polearm and sending the bullet back to its owner. The force behind her blow was not to be trifled with, either. With a swing and precise control of power, the bullet bounced back even faster and possessed more power than if it were fired from a Gatling gun. When it struck the bandit, it blew a hole in his chest. Blood and flesh splattered into the air before he fell unceremoniously to the floor, dead in just three seconds.

The villagers who bore witness to this act shuddered and recoiled while the rest stared in horror. They couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

"Was that necessary, Albedo?" Momonga asked Tabula's NPC.

Albedo stepped back. "Forgive me, my lord. But if these ants wants to face you, they should at least possess a modicrum of power. Anything less is otherwise insulting."

"Hmph. Guess they failed your test. Still, good to know I have your answer!" he said with wicked glee, taking delight in the fear present in their faces before he addressed the monstrosity that had been waiting to jump into action. "Death Knight. Kill these men, but leave just one alive. I have need of a messenger."

With a wicked smile made all the more horrifying by its body, the Death Knight released another dreadful roar and leaped into action. The villagers were confused and terrified, unsure of what was transpiring. They could not tell if Momonga was just another person out to kill them or a possible savior. The latter would be appreciated, if not for the fact that the Death Knight that served him spooked them far worse than any Grimm.

Their opinions only grew worse, as they had a front-row seat to an epic bloodbath.

* * *

When Raven Branwen was born, her life had been hell. She did not know what a happy childhood was, nor did she care about having one. Happiness, in the eyes of her family – the tribe – was a weakness that needed to be purged. It was a lesson that had been drilled into her head the day she could walk and talk. When she was old enough to remember, her parents put a wooden stick in her hands and told her to fight her brother. When she refused, she would receive kicks or punches.

The training she endured was harsh. There were no happy moments that Raven could recall, and even if she could, they were so minute that she had likely forgotten about them. But it was all for the sake of strengthening the tribe. Over the years, the old tribe leader had made some poor decisions. Slowly, but surely, the Branwen Tribe was dying out. A civil war was starting to brew, and her parents were in the thick of it. They were pushing for her or Qrow to step up to the plate. To replace the old tribe leader and lead their family.

By the time she was ten years old, Raven was committed to saving her tribe. It had also been around this time she took her first kill. It was a raid in which her mother had shoved her onto at the last minute. She needed to experience true combat for herself, her father told her when she returned, a jagged scar across her back from where a villager had sneaked up from behind and slashed at her with a kitchen knife. She needed to see for herself what the Tribe did, and how they were to survive unless things changed.

When she was 14, she and Qrow had become independent. No one had shed a tear for their parents when they discovered them dead. When Raven and Qrow had decided that they would go to a Huntsman Academy, in order to strengthen themselves and learn to fight better – and to kill Huntsmen more efficiently – their father had taken this as a sign of betrayal. That they were straying from the teachings of the tribe. Qrow challenged him to a duel, where if he lost then they would not go to an Academy. They would just allow the Tribe to decay and let it ruin itself.

Raven's father had no way of knowing that, by this time, Qrow had long since unlocked his aura and developed his semblance. The misfortune brought to him had been ultimately what led to Qrow's victory, running the man who helped bring him into the world through with a spear. Raven's mother shed no tears for the death of her husband. Instead, she could only express how proud she had been to learn that they had become strong enough to surpass their father, who had been one of the strongest warriors in the tribe.

Not even a month had gone by when the tribe later discovered the mother also dead, head robbed from her shoulders in the middle of the night. Everyone knew who had done the deed, but they couldn't figure out the reason why. Had Raven taken revenge upon her mother for all the years of abuse? Did she kill her because she thought she no longer had any use for the tribe? They could only guess, and Raven was not keen on telling them why she decided her mother needed to die.

They stayed with the tribe for another three years before they went to Beacon Academy. They initially wanted to go to Haven, but decided against this as they realized that someone there would realize that they came from from a family of bandits. Admittedly, Mistral was home to many scoundrels of various trades and professions, especially in the heart of the Kingdom, but Haven's security and background check were almost religious in its proficiency. If someone came from an unsavory background, they would know. And the Branwen Tribe had been the bane of the Kingdom for years due to their nefarious ways.

Atlas was also out of the question. If Mistral was a no-brainer because they'd know immediately who the Branwen twins were, then Atlas was like walking to their own executions. The military academy was not only far more intense in its security measures, but there was a zero tolerance policy. There had been many unsavory rumors and stories about what Atlas did to its captives. Not many were good to hear.

By process of elimination, this left Shade and Beacon. Shade had been a promising candidate, but Beacon was chosen because it would be a chance to see how less-disciplined Huntsmen and Huntresses would fair. Sabotage the competition, Raven once put it. Shade belonged to Vacuo, a lawless dust bowl where anyone who had the strength and wit to survive was welcome. Beacon, however, was complacent. It would be easy to blend in and scope out the competition.

It was Beacon that proved to be what few good memories Raven had left in the present. Had you asked anyone who knew Team STRQ what they thought of Raven Branwen in the present, compared to how she was a student, they would tell you they were two different people.

Beacon made her soft. For a while, she had grown weak. She fell in love with some blonde cheery idiot who managed to beat her with only his bare hands. Her best friend was some cheery girl who made her feel at home. When Ozpin had told her and Team STRQ the truth about Remnant, about who was plotting to ruin it and who was responsible for gathering the Grimm, it had been the first time she felt genuine fear.

Had Ozpin continued to be ignorant and never told them the truth, chances are Raven would still be with Taiyang.

Now in her mid-to-late twenties, Raven's face had turned cold. Her skin slightly pale with slight bags beneath her blood-red eyes. Her black hair was pulled back by a red ribbon. She was clad in red armor, with a helmet resembling a Grimm mask underneath her arm. At her hip sat a large sheathe with a long blade sitting inside. Her teenage self seemed so much brighter, but that girl had died long ago. Now someone stronger, more capable, stood in her place.

She was the Leader of the Branwen Tribe. She was its chief. She was Raven.

Of course, there was so much more to Raven Branwen than it first seemed. Everyone at the Tribe knew she was powerful, but some had been convinced that she may have possessed some kind of luck-based semblance like her brother. Only instead of misfortune, she had good luck. Ever since she assumed control of the tribe, their raids had always gone off without a hitch. Storms had started to brew whenever they were in the middle of preparation and caused discomfort to their marks. Then they would stage an assault, a feint to attract the Grimm. When all was said and done, they'd swoop in and take out what little resistance there was left.

Without question, Raven Branwen had achieved strength and power. And through her, the Branwen Tribe flourished anew. They were surviving. They were _living_.

Which begged the question: "Where the hell are my men?"

It had been half an hour since she sent out the troops meant to stir up trouble in that small little village down below. This would attract the Grimm, and since there were hunting grounds nearby, it seemed like a good opportunity. There would be no need for her "special talent" in this case, especially since Shiroyuki was small-fry compared to their previous marks. They had Huntsmen, yes, but they were ill-equipped to fight off large hordes of Grimm. If they were smart, they'd run. They were being paid to protect this place. There was no emotional attachment whatsoever.

Then again, if they wanted to die with the villagers, so be it.

However, the party had not returned after they departed ten minutes earlier. This was not so unusual, as it had happened before. But they had been gone longer than usual. Had they experienced some sort of problem? Were the Huntsmen better than she thought?

_If need be, I can come and grab them myself._ Raven's semblance allowed her to cut open a hole – or gateway – that would allow her to reach people she had a connection to. For example, any time she so pleased, she could see her daughter Yang. Not that she would ever need to. The girl had a life of her own to lead. She was old enough to make decisions for herself, and she was strong enough to rely on herself rather than others.

It seemed her thoughts were unnecessary, however, as she saw someone approach her from out of the corner of her field of vision. She turned and found one of her men staggering toward her, face pale and slathered in red. Half of his face was soaked in blood and his hair was tinged red. His clothes were soaked, and there was a stain at his nether regions. His eyes were wide and frightened as if he had just stared death in the face.

Alarmed and on edge, Raven spoke with steel in her voice. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know!" the poor man said pathetically, crumbling to the floor as if he had just lost all will to live. "I don't know what happened! T-t-that thing c-came and-and… Oh, gods. Oh gods!" Whatever had happened down there had left him in poor shape. Without any dignity he vomited all over the ground before slumping. "They're dead. They're all dead!"

Raven's lips thinned. She looked down at the village, curiosity and confusion present. Was this man the only survivor? If so, what did he see down there? Obviously, there was a threat to her plans. An unexpected variable.

Shiroyuki was a small mark. At best, whatever resources they could gleam from it would only serve to accommodate the Branwen Tribe for a few days, not that they needed it. They were already well off, having raided a larger settlement not too long ago and still swimming in the rewards. The men she apparently lost were of little consequence as well. It was best to just leave this place alone.

But Raven Branwen was prideful. Someone had dared to humiliate her by denying her her prize. And pride was often the downfall of many men.

She would be no different.

* * *

Death Knight's rout had been a short, yet bloody affair. As Momonga had suspected, the villagers were naturally frightened of him after it had finished mopping up, and only agreed to listen to him because he stated he didn't save them out of the kindness of his heart. He was doing it in hopes of a reward.

The deaths of the bandits had not been pleasant. Those who bravely and foolishly fought back were killed in mundane ways. They were crushed underfoot or thrown away by a bash of its shield. The shield itself, plus the force behind it, had served as something of a fatal blow as those unlucky enough to be struck found themselves seriously injured, suffering from internal injuries or had several broken bones. Those that tried to flee were given cruel deaths, being cut down in mid-escape. One of those who attempted to flee found the blade buried in his throat and then dragged down his body, spilling out his guts and innards while only his head remained attached to his otherwise severed body. Another idiot had tried to convince one of his fellows to be his shield and was promptly stabbed to death, impaled repeatedly and rendering his stomach into bloody mush before left to rot on the ground.

A grizzly sight, to be sure. And traumatizing no doubt, given that there were children in the group who had witnessed it happen.

Momonga had been worried that his strategy wouldn't work. Showing off Death Knight might have worked against him in the end, but he didn't want to appear weak by having Albedo wipe out the vermin. Not that she would have thought of him as weak, given how things have been these last couple of days. He also didn't want to show his hand, as using magic, which was apparently a foreign concept, would have alerted other, more hostile individuals of his presence. He had no idea if there were other YGGDRASIL players here, but it paid to be cautious.

The village chief, obviously wary of him, had asked him questions. Where he was from, what in the world was the Death Knight, and what he looked like under the mask. Momonga had managed to lie through each question thrown his way smoothly like it was second nature, having prepped the answers before hand. To the chief, the Death Knight was an artificial construct he created and the mask was his means of controlling the otherwise unruly beast. Removing it was unwise, and the chief didn't dare want that monster to be set loose upon his people. As to where he was from, he claimed that he was a hermit who had shut himself off from the world in his pursuit of research towards the Creatures of Grimm.

This ultimately worked in his favor. The chief was still wary, but he was more accepting. He provided all the information Momonga needed about his new surroundings.

To start with, the world he now inhabited was composed of four different continents, each inhabiting a Kingdom. To the north was the Kingdom of Atlas, a country that was heavily engrossed in politics and military advancement. Of the four kingdoms, their technology was unsurpassed, having made great strides and contributed to most of the technology seen today. To the east was the Kingdom Momonga was currently; the Kingdom of Mistral. It was mostly a Kingdom of Commerce and Trade, but it was also home to a dark underbelly of shady going ons such as the black market, slave trade and so on. A criminal underworld, to to speak. To the far west was the Kingdom of Vacuo, which was mostly desert and unforgiving to the feint of heart. It tested men and women alike, and if they proved resilient, then they could survive. Momonga likened it to the Old West, where people had to be daring to achieve what they wanted in life. Sandwiched between all three was Vale, arguably the most stable of the four Kingdoms. While it was engrossed in politics like Atlas or immersed in trade like Mistral, it was known for its wide acceptance and famed for it being a land of opportunity. Many small time businesses started in Vale, and they had all started to flourish in their own right.

Momonga grew fascinated upon hearing about Atlas, but at the same time, he was also very anxious. If advanced technology was present in this world, he would have loved to see how it compared to his world. After all, pretty much everything was interconnected with electronics and the internet. But Atlas' emphasis on military advancement gave him pause. His presence was not natural in the least, and he had no doubt that he would be recognized as an enemy. He did not want to have the might of an entire nation against him, magic be damned.

_I also noticed that some of the bandits used guns. In YGGDRASIL, while guns weren't exactly uncommon, they were pretty rare. Heck, I think the only person in the guild that actually has a gun-type weapon is CZ Delta._

Something to look into at a later date. Perhaps when he had a better understanding of the world, and more opportunities. His next inquery came in the form of currency. Gold was perfectly acceptable, as the chief was amazed and awed at how he possessed solid gold coins, though he was unsure of whether or not it had an accurate equivalent wealth to this world's own currency, Lien.

Speaking of which, Momonga had to question why their idea of currency was just plastic cards.

_Then again, I _did _read online once that the Chinese Union had started using similar currency, so I guess it isn't too weird._

Outside of the world and the currency, Momonga had inquired about the demihumans. This garnered further surprise and suspicion from the chief, but he told him nonetheless. They were appropriately called Faunus and had been around for as long as humans were. Of course, as Momonga half-expected to hear, they were treated with prejudice because of their extra features. Some people just ignored them at best. Others were less kind and treated them like garbage. Hearing about the sorts of things they had to endure reminded Momonga about the treatment of heteromorphic players back in YGGDRASIL. Of course, compared to Faunus, heteromorphic players had it worse given that the game made it so that hunting and killing them was actively encouraged.

There were also the Huntsmen and Huntresses who fought back against the Grimm. They apparently trained at institutions designed to help hone their skills and abilities. There were eight, four were similar to prep schools and the remaining four were more or less high schools. It also explained the weapons the dead guards used. Momonga had never seen weapons like that in YGGDRASIL, and the chief went on to explain that the weapons could change forms depending on the situation. Commonly, weapons had a close range and long range form. The collector in Momonga wanted to learn more, and that excitement grew when the chief told him that Huntsmen and Huntresses could even the tide through the power of "semblances" – skill-like abilities that varied from person to person. The chief didn't give a detailed explanation, but Momonga had a general idea. Lastly, there was "aura" – the barrier of one's soul that could protect and heal them.

There was a lot about this world that only brought excitement, but at the same time he had to remain wary.

Once Momonga had all the information he needed, the chief and the villagers had chosen to gather their dead and bury them. The two children he saved, Wein and Lila, were also present at the proceedings, sobbing over the loss of their father. The sight ached his non-existent heart, but he had no intention of using a resurrection item. He had two reasons why. The first was that he did not want to draw attention to himself. His usage of magic in front of the children, and him subsequently learning that magic only existed in fiction, had already landed him in uncertainty and the risk of exposing himself to possible enemies. If word got out he could revive the dead, then he would have all manner of people coming after him.

Secondly, he had no way of knowing whether or not the [Wand of Resurrection] would work. In YGGDRASIL, the item could revive an ally who had been killed, but like any other resurrection method it also came at the cost of experience points and levels. Momonga didn't know what these people would lose if he used it, or if it would work at all. They should just be happy he saved their lives and be done with it.

However...his point about people being aware he could use magic concerned him greatly. Since magic didn't apparently exist in this world, he couldn't afford to stand out. So he made the decision to erase the villagers' memories of him. As far as they knew, someone had saved them, but they could not recall who they may have been. To them, they were a phantom savior who appeared in their darkest hour. A figure of hope, as it were.

"I feel exhausted..." Momonga muttered under his breath as he looked at the village of Shiroyuki, which was slowly disappearing from sight as they walked away from it. "Well, at least we've confirmed quite a few things."

"I find it hard to believe this world could survive so long without the use of magic." Albedo gave her own opinions, her face now visible as her helmet was held beneath her arm. "However, this talk of semblance does sound interesting. Is it perhaps unique skills?"

"Could be. I wish I had more context to go off of, but them is the breaks, I guess." From what little he could guess, semblances could be like certain class skills. There were unique abilities available to certain classes. For example, the Overlord class had the Eclipse – a skill no other class had, especially given its heavy emphasis on instant death. "By the way, Albedo. Have at least two Eight-Edge Assassins stationed around the village. I'm certain the memory wipe was successful, but I'd still like to be careful."

Albedo nodded. The two then hurried on before Albedo stopped abruptly, face turning dark. Momonga raised a non-existent eyebrow, wondering what could have happened before Tabula's NPC spoke in a serious tone. "Lord Momonga, a group of bandits are making their way down to the village. It appears to be the main force. They're also being led by someone who the Eight-Edge assume is the leader, given her equipment is different from theirs."

"Is that so?" Momonga's jaw curved while the flames in his sockets intensified. "I suppose having a messenger was useless if they decided to ignore my warnings. Let's give them a proper greeting, then. I'm curious to see what kind of fool dares mock my generosity."

_**part 2**_

Demiurge hummed to himself as he examined the pristine white bone in his hand, cradling it as if it were a priceless object yet with a curious gleam in his eyes. The bone was a humerus, but it was much larger than normal. It easily outclassed the size of dogs like a German Shepherd or Great Dane. In terms of width, it matched a small short sword. Red markings were also carved into it, not tribal or of significant meaning. They seemed as if they had been part of the bone's design.

"Interesting." Demiurge said to himself as he set the bone down the table. Taking out a simple knife, a mere decoration than a weapon, he gently brought it down into the bone with the intent of making a cut. The blade was met with resistance. "Kitchen ware is ineffective, but..." Discarding the ornament, the NPC took out another knife. This one was a low-level piece of equipment. Practically suited for new players who were just starting YGGDRASIL for the first time. He gently pressed it against the bone as he did with the kitchen knife.

His smile grew when he made a small, but noticeable cut.

"It seems the bones of Grimm are made for combat. If we were to compare a typical sword used by a human with moderate strength to a measly knife with sufficient strength applied, the damage of a low level dagger is far superior. Perhaps only individuals specialized in combat are capable of fending them off?"

He turned to Aura, who was petting an armless black dog with adorable fervor. "Aura, what is this creature called again?"

"Beowolf!" she answered happily. The Beowolf let out a low whine as it thumped its leg like it was a real dog and not a bloodthirsty monster. "The gorilla is called a Beringel, the snake a Taijitsu, the hornets Lancers and the lizards are Creeps."

"I see."

While Nazarick had been set on high alert per Momonga's orders when he went out, Demiurge was tasked with experimenting with their newly acquired specimens. It brought him no end of joy for having been given a truly momentous task in discovering what sorts of secrets he could gleam from these monsters. These creatures of Grimm. From what they learned on the field, the Grimm only hunted game animals in the forest and also humans when they were close by. Yet they paid absolutely no attention to them. They only became hostile towards the undead guarding Nazarick's entrance if they wandered too close and aggroed them.

Demiurge was particularly ecstatic to get information about these creatures, especially since their forms varied. Were Grimm a species or some sort of class? Did they follow a system? There was so much to learn.

"Say, Aura. How high are their levels?"

Aura pursed her lips, momentarily stopping her petting. "Not very. They're between Levels 2 and 5 from what I get, but they can apparently grow old enough to develop intelligence, so I guess if they live long enough they're higher leveled?"

"If Lord Momonga happens to allow you to venture out again, see if you can tame these "Elder Grimm" for me."

It was always nice to have more research specimens. Truth be told, he wished to see how the Grimm behaved in other environments as well and the many possibilities that surrounded them. If Grimm grew in strength the older they became, and developed intelligence with age, how would they react if they were to apply the raising methods in YGGDRASIL?

Those with the ranger job class could increase their tamed familiars levels in various ways. It was similar to raising a pet, except these pets could grow by fighting as well as eating and being taught how to do tricks. Depending on the familiar, they could undergo a racial class change so long as the change was related to their species and race tree. For example, a skeleton familiar, once sufficiently raised, could become a zombie or spectre.

The Grimm, of course, were different. They were unknowns. This only made them all the more valuable. The more Demiurge thought about it, the more excited he became. The uses the Grimm could even have for Nazarick excited him further, especially given how his task was personally assigned to him by Momonga.

Failure, in his opinion, would be a far worse shame than dying. No matter what he must do, he would fulfill the wishes of the Supreme Being.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do." Aura nodded, earning a thank you from the demon. "Speaking of Lord Momonga, where did he go?"

"He's currently engaged in another activity. I believe he's taking the necessary steps for his grand plan." Demiurge smiled mysteriously. Aura tilted her head in confusion, making him chuckle. "Don't worry. I'll explain it when Albedo returns with Lord Momonga. In the meantime, help me out and collect a few of the Taijitsu's scales. I'm curious to see how tough they are when compared to a lamia's!"

* * *

The tension in the air was palpable to the point where Raven could almost feel it. Solid enough to where she could cut it with her weapon.

The Tribe was on high alert and their best had been gathered. If the enemy was powerful, then the full might of the Branwen Tribe was required. Raven normally wouldn't need everyone for an operation like this, especially since Shiroyuki was small fry, but someone powerful was down there. Strong enough to kill most of her scouts. It was a blatant act of defiance against her, and more importantly, a slight. A blemish that must be removed.

She did not know who this mysterious foe was, but Raven knew that she would be victorious in their battle. After all, compared to the so-called "witch," how could this person compare?

They made it about halfway to Shiroyuki when she suddenly stopped, the hairs on the back of her neck standing upright. "What's the matter, Raven?" Vernal, her second-in-command, asked with visible anxiety as she whipped out her weapon. The rest of the Tribe took out their weapons also, preparing for any incoming ambush.

Raven scanned the clearing around her. The air was still and she was met with silence. Nothing stirred at all.

That was the problem. The forests of Mistral were _never_ silent. The only way they would be silent was that the Grimm had caused a disturbance and forced all nearby animals away. In that case, however, signs of their presence would be obvious. There was no sign of any sort of Grimm activity, which only added to her paranoia. This area was practically skirting on the border of the Beowolf's territory. It wouldn't be odd for them to encounter one or two by this point.

The fact that none had appeared whatsoever, plus the hanging silence, had alerted her to the presence of another.

"Are you a coward, or do you realize that you're outmatched and are hoping to catch us off guard?"

"My mistake. I hadn't intended on hiding myself." her mystery foe announced, stepping out into view. Raven's eyebrow vanished beneath the fringes of her hair. It was a bear of a man, easily seven feet tall, dressed in lavish and ornate robes decorated with jewels. His face was hidden behind a red mask with a mocking smile, and his hands were covered by steel gauntlets. At his side, however, was a female warrior clad in armor from head to toe, a wicked polearm in hand.

_This is him? _This_ is the person who denied our victory?_

Raven wanted to scoff, thinking that maybe this whole thing was a farce, but she rescinded her thoughts as she looked more closely. There was not a speck of dirt or even so much as a sign of wear and tear on the two figures before her. That made no sense to her at all. Surely they would have tracked some mud in this terrain. And if they were the ones who combated her scouts and killed them, they should have had some sort of sign or damage to their clothing. The polearm barely looked as if it had been used. There were no dents that she could see, but the edge it possessed brought a shiver down her spine.

Either these were decoys, or…

"...are you two the people who killed my men?" Raven asked cautiously, a hand wrapped around the handle of her katana.

The man tilted his head. "That's a rather foolish question to ask. I did leave one of your men alive and have him deliver my message to you." he said. After saying those words, her family turned hostile and glared daggers at the man, now ready to kill him on a moment's notice. The air grew cold as the man suddenly began to chuckle. "Still, I have to admit. You lot have a lot of nerve, deciding to ignore my warning. I went through the trouble of saving that village, and here you are, still willing to kill everyone inside and take everything for yourself."

Raven stared at the robed figure. At first, she thought her adversary had been a Huntsman who was acting out of some misguided notion, but after hearing him, she had to reappraise her opinions. His tone told her he was quite annoyed by her actions, and judging by his words he clearly had ulterior motives for saving Shiroyuki.

She chuckled slightly. "My apologies. However, I should be the one saying that to you. While I'm sure you had your reasons for saving that village, you still killed my men. I can't exactly let that stand." She paused, then cocked her head. "That said, you have my interest. While the men you killed weren't quite powerful, I still gave them enough training to make them stand on even ground with veteran Huntsmen. The fact that you killed most of them means you must be quite powerful… So why bother waste your time protecting a bunch of weaklings?"

"Oh?" The man rubbed his chin. "Why wouldn't I? They had some worth, even if what you say is true. Or, perhaps, you're one of those types who believe that might makes right."

"You would be correct."

"Hm, I see. Well, as much fun as this conversation is, I believe we both know how this is going to go, so why don't we just cut to the chase." The atmosphere changed in an instant. Suddenly, killing intent flooded the clearing and Raven immediately drew her blade. The man spread his arms out and gave them an ultimatum. "Offer me your lives without resistance, and I will make your deaths painless. Fight me, and you will know the true meaning of the word despair!"

"Is this guy for real?" one of Raven's men said in dismissal, a smirk forming on his face as he raised his gun. "Go fuck yourself, you freak!"

Raven narrowed her eyes. The man had made no moves when the refusal became clear. He was purposely allowing himself to be open. _Is he overconfident? Or is it a trap?_

She didn't have to wait long to figure out, as the masked man, with amusement, gave the following reply.

"Very well, then. Let me show you how your men died, Raven Branwen. Death Knight! _Sic 'em_."

Something fell to the earth with a shaking thud. It was not human or even a Grimm. It was a rotting, misshapen lump of armor wielding a towering shield and jagged sword.

Surprised and shocked by the arrival of this monster, the aptly-named Death Knight opened its maw and released an ear-piercing scream.

"_**ShRRaaaAAAaaAaGggGh!"**_

"What the hell isthat?!" Vernal cried, having never seen a monster like this before.

Before anyone could question the mystery man, the Death Knight lunged forward and went after the closest target. Raven intercepted it and defended her tribe with her katana. She struck at full strength, yet she found herself being pushed back. In defiance, she grounded her feet further into the dirt.

"Oho?" the mystery man leaned forward. "Interesting. It seems you have some strength to back up your barks after all."

"Is this how you killed my men?" Raven grinded her teeth, struggling to defend before she pulled back, letting the Death Knight's sword fall into the ground. It growled and pulled its blade out before readying for another clash. "You're nothing but a coward, hiding behind this monster!"

The man laughed, not at all offended. "On the contrary. I just don't think you're worth my time."

Raven's blood boiled. Shameless! Utterly shameless! How much more could this man infuriate her? Still, based on pure power alone, this Death Knight outclassed her. She normally wouldn't wish to do this on a single opponent, especially when it seemed like she could just kill the man controlling this beast and be done with it. However, it was faster than it looked. It would easily be able to defend its master if they attempted to ignore it and go after the masked man.

If strength alone could not fell it, she had no other alternative.

"Vernal!"

The woman's eyes hardened and nodded in understanding. She let out a battle cry and rushed the Death Knight, weapon raised high. The Death Knight roared in reply, ready to end her.

She reached it–

_Clang._

–and struck with a sword made of ice.

* * *

There is a fairy tale that speaks about four women, bestowed magical powers by an old man. It is one of the oldest fairy tales known to the people of Remnant. A bedtime story meant to lull unruly children to slumber.

The story goes that an old hermit, who was referred to as a wizard in some versions, is visited by four sisters, who are each, in their own unique way, are kind to him.

The first sister, Winter, encourages him to meditate and reflect; the second, Spring, brings him fruit and flowers and revitalizes his garden; the third, Summer, convinces him to step outside and embrace the world; and the fourth, Fall, encourages him to be thankful for what he has.

When the old man asks the four sisters why they were so kind to him, they respond that they merely show their kindness to everyone.

Moved by this, the old man gives the four sisters great powers in return for their compassion, and as the embodiment of the four seasons, they travel through Remnant spreading their gifts. As thanks, the Maidens promise to visit the old man once every year.

It was a typical story...but no one knew that, in truth, it was real. Admittedly, there were some details that were different from the actual story, but the Maidens of the Seasons were real.

In Remnant, there were four women who were given magical abilities. They had inherited their powers from the original maidens, and their successors would be gifted their abilities when it came time to pass them down. It is also rumored that, should a Maiden have no successor in mind, they will gift their powers to someone else in Remnant. Someone who is thought to be worthy of its powers. These women were among the most safeguarded secrets in the world, for there are those who would seek to abuse their powers. Use them for personal gain.

Not too long ago, before Raven had asserted her dominance in the tribe and took her place as its rightful leader, she happened to meet a girl who had been chosen to be the inheritor of the powers of the Spring Maiden. The girl was unremarkable and weak, having virtually no understanding or control. Raven thought that her control and power would increase considerably if she had a Maiden with her, so she taught her.

In the end, however, it was wasted effort. The girl was too scared of what she had, so Raven decided it was better if the powers of the Maiden were in better hands. She had no emotion in her as she cut the girl down when she attempted to flee after realizing what Raven had in mind for her. Why the powers of the Maiden were gifted to Raven at that moment was a mystery. Despite being this girl's killer, she had been chosen.

And she now had power.

However, she could not show off her hand. If it became obvious that she had the power of a Maiden, the "witch" Ozpin told her about would surely seek her. So she had a substitute in mind. Someone to use the power in her place – or so she would make others think.

No one, aside from Vernal herself, knew that Raven Branwen was the Spring Maiden.

* * *

Momonga leaned in, the flames in his sockets twinkling with interest. "Is this…?"

The Death Knight was autonomous in nature. The only thing it could do was kill and follow orders. Yet there must have been some form of intelligence, if it could obey and determine its masters orders. And like all undead, it loathed the living in some capacity. With what intelligence it possessed, it realized that its blade had been blocked. It surpassed this woman in strength and should have forced her back, but Raven had applied further pressure and evened the odds with her katana.

It's attack had been stopped cold, confusing it for only a brief moment before another bandit had struck from behind, slamming his mace into its face. It recoiled only slightly, but to the bandit's horror, his weapon had been dented. Growling, it shrugged the two women away and slammed its shield into the man. The brute force behind this demolished the man's bones, either turning them to dust or turning them into tiny pieces. His body turned into a ragdoll as it bounced across the clearing before smacking into a tree, body flopping unnaturally before crumpling to the floor.

One down. Thirty more to go.

"It didn't even do anything..."

"H-his mace is dented like something pressed back against it!"

"W-what kind of monster is this?!"

"Calm down!" Raven shouted. "Keep your emotions under control! Don't attract the Grimm!"

_Oh, I get it now._ Momonga realized thanks to Raven's shout. _The Grimm are attracted by negative emotions. That explains why she attacked the village with a scouting party. It was a feint to stir up negative emotions, terrify the people and then attract the Grimm. After that, they'd just pull out and the monsters do all the work for them. That's an impressive strategy!_

And quite effective. If you went all out, then you were likely to suffer losses. Performing a feint and then riling the populace up to attract the Grimm, then pull out, would minimize those losses. A low-risk strategy. He had to admit, this Raven woman knew her stuff.

_Still, that sword made of ice...did that Vernal make it? I didn't notice any runes. _

As the Branwen Tribe fought bravely against his Death Knight, Momonga watched with a keen eye, observing Vernal. Every move she did was in perfect sync with Raven. It was like watching two dance partners move expertly around and avoiding a giant immovable obstacle that could cost them their lives. In short bursts, Vernal would wield weapons made of ice, from a sword to twin knives to even a spear. She had been trained extensively. Momonga was unsure if this was magic or a semblance in the works.

There was a way to find out, of course. In YGGDRASIL, there was a skill called [Mana Essence] that allowed a player to look at an enemy's remaining MP. This skill, along with its HP counterpart [Life Essence] was considered to be vital for players who participated regularly in PvP. Momonga had used it as part of his experiments when he tested to see if he could still use his magic. He used [Mana Essence] while Aura and Mare were fighting the Primal Fire Elemental he had summoned for them to combat.

Assuming it worked on the inhabitants of this new world, then he would be able to tell if Vernal was indeed using magic.

"[Mana Essence]." Momonga whispered the spell and looked at Vernal. To his surprise, there was indeed magic power present.

But it wasn't from Vernal. The one using magic was Raven.

_...heh. So that's how it is._

Momonga's respect and admiration for Raven went up. He was half-convinced that she was a Player and not a native to this world. There were numerous strategies that focused on Magic Casters during a PvE match. If there was one precious source of commodity in the game, it was information. The type of information often varied. Casual players who had no interest in PvP or PvE often looked up guides on how to clear dungeons or defeat bosses. This was actually the safest way to gather info, as hardcore players were more susceptible to false information. Player builds, how to farm items, gathering intel on a particularly powerful Player in the game, Raid Bosses – the list went on, and there was a high chance that someone was messing with you. Of all the online games that were present at that time, it was YGGDRASIL that had the most heated events of trolling.

Even in this sort of situation, Momonga could remember with fondness of the time his friend Peroroncino had been screwed over when he attempted to gather intel on a Player who had trash talked his tastes in eroge. He was offline for two days before coming back with a depressing cloud hanging over his head. It took himself and Bukubukuchagama to get him out of his funk and help him get revenge.

Information could also be used in the middle of a fight. A common strategy was to have a Magic Caster in your party attempt to cast a high-level spell to draw in a crowd, then go after the rest. Unknown to the enemy players, that Caster wasn't even the strongest magic-based Player on the party, so they were going after a decoy.

The strategy Raven had employed was along those lines. She was using Vernal as a decoy to make it seem like she was the one casting magic. Judging by what he had observed thus far, it seemed that magic in this world had no tell signs of the user casting it, like runes and such.

Well, not that it would save her in the least. Raven and her tribe were going to die here.

* * *

The Death Knight was somehow pushed back when Vernal tossed two ice blades at Raven, catching them in mid-air and striking with speed and ferocity. Compared to the mace that had crumpled beneath impact, the blades remained solid as they struck the monster's shoulders. In fact, Raven saw that she had done some damage. The blades dug into the rotting mounds of flesh, tearing through and leaving behind a slight chill.

Before she could push the blades in further or try to decapitate the bastard, the undead kicked her away and proceeded to stab a bandit that attempted to attack it from behind. The Flamberg went straight through her mouth and pierced her brain, thus killing her instantly. With a shrug, it threw the dead body away before turning her attention to the rest. Shaking off the tremors in her body, Raven charged again. "Vernal! Go from behind!"

"Roger!"

Her second-in-command swerved around and moved in a half-circle, aiming for a pincer strike. The Death Knight let out a wicked cackle, finding their actions useless and welcome their futile blows. Raven used her magic again and called on a blade of ice next to Vernal, who grasped it in hand. They struck in unison, evading the Death Knight's counter. Raven jammed the ice blades as far as she could press them into the undead's shoulders, burying them up to the hilt while Vernal rammed it straight through its stomach.

Beneath her mask, Raven's eyes burned like fire. Power flowed through her as she touched the pommel and edge of the buried ice blades before she jumped back. Vernal rolled underneath a swing of the shield and quickly joined her leader.

The Death Knight glared at them menacingly and stalked toward them, only to pause. It found its movements rather stiff. It couldn't move its arms very well. Looking down, it found ice slowly spreading across its body. Rotten flesh was covered in thin sheets of ice while its murky black blood was frozen solid. The joints locked, making it impossible to move.

"Hm, good strategy." the masked man muttered to himself. "The Death Knight isn't fully resistant to chill damage, though this looks like it's something else."

Raven had no idea what he was getting at, but she took it to mean that the Death Knight wasn't invincible after all. They could win this. And when it was dead, she was going to take great pleasure in severing the bastard's head from his shoulders.

_But at this rate, we'll be half-dead._

She glanced at the clearing, grimacing at the loss of her tribe. Of the thirty she had brought with her that made up most, if not the entire tribe, only fourteen or fifteen were left. And they were all exhausted. Their aura was running low from trying to heal damage and defend them from the Death Knight's vicious shield bashes. It had realized that they could defend themselves from being stabbed and instead tried to crush them, using stabbing as a means of distraction to throw them off guard. If this continued to go on, they would be too tired to combat the masked man.

She thought that perhaps they could split into two units, one to combat the Death Knight and the other against the man. Then she rescinded that idea as she looked at the armored figure standing close to him, watching with boredom. It was clear that whoever this person was, she did not view them as threats whatsoever.

Raven let out a low sigh, realizing that her next maneuver was very likely to make her foe suspicious, but this had to be a move she needed to make. They had to end this quickly.

"Vernal. We're going all in. Are you ready?" Her right hand nodded, having faith that they could kill this monster. Raven noticed that the Death Knight was now starting to overpower the build-up of frost on its body. Her attempts to freeze it solid were apparently half-baked.

She raised her voice and rallied her tribe. "Everyone! Buy Vernal time!"

Their fighting spirit was invigorated. With powerful war cries, they rushed at the Death Knight. Vernal put on a show, closing her eyes and raising her hands as she looked as if she was concentrating. Raven's eyes burned even brighter as she stood in front of her subordinate, looking as if she was going to defend her. In truth, it was Raven who was performing the casting. She didn't need to do some grandoise pose like what Vernal was doing. She just needed to concentrate and envision the spell weaving in her mind. Her power rose to the surface and continued to build, expanding higher and higher until it reached the breaking point. Still Raven forced it to rise.

The air grew cold. Frost began to coat the blades of grass beneath their feet. The blue skies overhead turned dim, swallowed by angry clouds. The masked man and his companion looked up, now interested in the phenomenon taking place. The air concentrated on several points, gathering the cold and condensing. Small orbs of ice began to form, then expand into shapes. The orbs grew longer and became bigger. After five seconds, they had become giant spears of ice.

Two bandits found themselves impaled and pinned to the ground by the Death Knight. They were still alive, but only barely. Their aura had diminished. Weakly, the one on top tried to pry the blade out from their bellies. Raven hissed beneath her mask, shutting her eyes and bidding the two farewell, hoping they would remain strong and unwavering in the afterlife. They seemed to understand their fate as well as they saw the ice spears forming above them, closing their eyes in resignation.

Vernal opened her eyes and made a grand show of things. She raised her palm up high, then swung it down as if declaring a verdict. Raven made it so. The ice spears fell like rain and delivered the final blow to this otherwise seemingly unbeatable foe. Its body was skewered as one by one the spears fell and pierced through its body. One spear fell down right on top of its elbow, severing it in the process. Another had struck it straight through the chest, which also ended up skewering her comrade's heads and granting them mercy. Several more fell. The final blow struck the Death Knight at the head, shattering its skull and poking through its mouth. Humorously, its dislocated jaw dangled from meager strands of flesh before it fell to the ground.

Raven breathed heavily, masked by her helm before she looked closely. There was no sign of movement. A heavy silence filled with tension sank in the clearing before the Death Knight's body shuddered. Its form turned dark and before their eyes became putrid muck that spilled down the spears and onto the ground. The grass burned, creating smoke and steam in the process. A disgusting smell invaded their nostrils, similar to burning rotting flesh.

The silence was shattered by the sound of metal-clad hands clapping.

"Wonderful! Simply spectacular. A fine show. It seems I've misappraised you, Raven Branwen!" the masked man said with surprising cheerfulness, as if she hadn't just killed his enforcer. "A Death Knight is around Level 30 or so. Judging by how well you handled yourself, and that splendid casting… I'd wager you're Level 40. Perhaps even higher."

Raven furrowed her brow. Level? What the devil was he talking about? Well, not that it mattered. This fight was more or less over. All that was left was to kill his bodyguard. If they could slay them, then killing this annoyance would be child's play.

"What will you do now, mystery man?" she asked mockingly. She noticed the armored figure bristle and shake with anger at her tone. "We just killed your ace, assuming your bodyguard isn't a strong as that monstrosity."

The man chuckled. "Oh no, she's _far_ stronger than that worthless undead." Raven reeled at that. _W-worthless…_? He called something as strong as that worthless? A monster that could tank blows from men trained to be as strong, if not stronger than even a Huntsman like that, considered to be worthless?!

_No. Calm down, Raven! He's bluffing. He has to be._ Raven tried to reason with herself before she became overwhelmed. She couldn't let her emotions betray her. If she did, she would just end up attracting the Grimm. She needed to stay calm. She couldn't show weakness.

"Before we continue this song and dance, there's something I'd like to ask. The men the Death Knight killed at Shiroyuki, they did not have their aura unlocked, is that correct?" Raven responded with silence, not wanting to give out information. "I'll take your silence as a yes, then. Would I also be correct to assume that the men and women standing before me do have their auras unlocked?"

"What the hell does it matter, you freak?!" Vernal snapped, raising her weapon. "Are you just stalling for time?"

"Oh no, nothing of the sort. I just want to do a little test." The masked man stared at her with curiosity. "Raven called you Vernal, correct? Would you happen to have aura?" In response, Vernal gave him the bird. "Now now, no need to be testy. Now, sit still for a moment, would you?"

The masked man raised his hand. His next words were no longer jovial, instead devoid of emotion and chilling to hear.

"[Grasp Heart]."

He made a motion of crushing something in his hands. Something exploded in his grasp. Red liquid flowed between his hands and dripped to the ground. Raven didn't understand what just happened, but she heard something fall behind her, followed by a confused cry. "V-Vernal? Vernal, what's wrong?!"

Raven looked over her shoulder and her eyes bulged. Vernal was on the ground, eyes with a pain-filled expression.

_What?!_

"I see… It seems aura doesn't prevent instant death from happening. That's a relief to know. Grasp Heart is my favorite spell, so it would be a shame if I couldn't use it to its fullest." Raven turned back to the masked man standing before her, who took a step forward. His gloved hand went up to his mask, as if to pull it away. "Do you recall my words to you earlier, Raven Branwen? Either you would offer me your lives without resistance and I would kill you painlessly. If you refused, I'd show you the meaning of the word despair. You chose to resist."

He pulled the mask off and showed her his face. Raven's heart sank and her body went still as she gazed into the burning crimson lights that burned like an inferno within those sockets. A skull stared back at her with killing intent.

This man was not human.

"Now, let's get started. This'll be a **massacre**!"

_**part 3**_

There hadn't been any actual need to reveal his face to her. He did so because he wanted to see how she would react. Momonga was not disappointed.

They recoiled and stared in horror, as if just now realizing what it was that they were up against. Raven stood still, no doubt frozen in terror.

"Y-you gotta be shittin' me..." a bandit whimpered. "Y-you mean, we've been up against a Grimm?!"

Albedo let out a shrill roar as her bloodlust skyrocketed. "You dare compare Lord Ainz to those worthless animals?!"

"I am no Grimm." Momonga stated firmly after he told Albedo to stand down. "I am an undead. In other words, a corpse. And I can assure you, _I am far worse than any Grimm you've met_. Now, let me give you a taste of the despair I'll be showing you." Removing his gauntlets to reveal his bony hands and undoing his robe slightly, revealing his ribcage and World Item, Momonga raised a hand. "[Hell Flame]."

A tiny flame flickered from the tip of his finger. It was dark, tinted red and writhing like it was a living organism. With a flick, Momonga sent it at his target. The bandit who mistook him for a Grimm was touched by the flame and erupted into a hellish inferno. He could not utter a sound nor react in time, for the hellfire consumed him in but a mere second. It happened so fast that the poor victim did not even realized what had just happened. All he felt was a warmth spreading over him, far too great for his liking, before spontaneously combusting. His skin, his insides, his bones – all of it was incinerated.

As the flames faded, there was not a single piece left. Not even ash. The spot where the bandit stood was scorched.

The others backed away, staring at the spot where their ally was burned alive and incinerated before turning back to Momonga, eyes wide with fear. They had been trained to control their emotions, to keep themselves in check. But this was different. This was not anything they had dealt with. This was not some raid that had gone wrong. This wasn't an unforeseen complication.

The Branwen Tribe realized too late that they were staring into the eyes of death, and death was not about to let them go so easily.

"So, what did you think?" Momonga asked, sounding slightly embarrassed. "Admittedly, it was one of the more higher tier spells, but I believe this should tell you that I am no weakling. Nor will your deaths be painless in any way."

Raven stumbled back, finally reacting. "Magic..." she whispered in sheer horror. Her face was overwhelmed by fright. "Y-you can use magic?!"

"Yes, same as you." Raven's heart fell. "I figured out that you were using that Vernal woman as a decoy. It's a rather impressive strategy. Based on what I learned from Shiroyuki's chief, magic doesn't exist in this world. At least, that's what I had assumed. Now I understand that there are only a few people in this world who can use it. And if magic is so rare, there are naturally those who'd wish to use them for personal gain. Hence, you created a fake Magic Caster. As I said, it's quite the impressive strategy. Unfortunately for you, paltry tricks like that won't work on me."

_He figured me out...so easily?_ Raven thought, feeling weak in the knees. _What...is this monster? Is it with Salem? Is it from back then? From Ozpin's time?! What is it?! WHAT IS IT?!_

She couldn't understand it. She could not comprehend the sight in front of her. It was too alien. Too bizarre.

"W-who are you?!"

Momonga chuckled. "I am Ainz Ooal Gown. In the past, there was no one who did not know and fear this name. Now them, let us continue our banquet of death. [Dragon Lightning]!" A bolt of thunder was launched Raven's way. The woman only barely recovered in time and managed to evade the incoming bolt, letting it sail past and vanish into the treeline. Anything caught in its path was either obliterated or caught on fire from the intense heat. "Hey now, don't dodge. You'll just prolong your execution."

"Kill it!" Raven shouted in hysteria. "Kill it now! Don't let it cast another spell!"

The bandits were confused and afraid, having never seen their leader act like this before. Yet they still obeyed their orders and moved in to attack. Albedo looked ready to intercept them, but Momonga stopped her. He spread his arms wide and welcomed the attacks head on. Two bandits, twins reached him first and poised their daggers for a kill, aiming for the red orb inside his ribcage. They reasoned that such a glaringly obvious item must be his core, or a weak point. It was a logical conclusion, but ultimately wrong. When their blades made contact, they bounced off. More than that, the blades shattered upon impact as if repelled by an immense force.

Before they could retreat and plan their next move, Momonga grabbed them by their heads. "Sorry, but ordinary weaponry won't work on me." he told them apologetically. "[High Tier Physical Immunity III] negates any damage caused by low level attacks that are Level 60 or lower.. Don't take it personally."

Slowly, Momonga squeezed and tightened his grip over their heads. Predictably, they squirmed and thrashed, trying to pull themselves out of his grip. In response, Momonga tightened his hold. His bony fingers dug into their flesh, piercing skin and digging into their skulls. The soft mush that was their brain could be felt on his fingertips. Their struggles grew fiercer as Momonga steadily increased his hold. The skull was starting to crack. Flesh was being split open. Their eyes bulged from their sockets. The tips of his fingers dug into their brains. The pressure grew worse. Their eyeballs popped out, dangling by red strings of flesh. His fingers vanished down past the first joint in his finger.

With a swift and decisive flex, he crushed their heads betwixt his hands. Blood, flesh, bone and gray matter clung to his digits. Momonga looked at his hands before he groaned. "Disgusting. Perhaps I should have killed them with a spell."

"Ah, here you go, Lord Momonga!" Out of nowhere, Albedo produced a handkerchief and wiped down his hands, removing the guts from his pristine white hands. "There, good as new!"

"Er, thank you, Albedo…?"

_Where the heck did she get that handkerchief_? He couldn't help but wonder. Perhaps it was in her inventory?

He took a head count of the bandits' numbers. There were still quite a few. This might take a while, he realized. And while he did say he was going to make their deaths as painful as possible, he didn't want to try and kill all of them. He wanted to know more about this aura business. Maybe he could order Albedo to capture a few, then bring them back to Nazarick? On the other hand, there were other bandits in Mistral, so there were other opportunities.

What to do, what to do…

"Hrrrraaaaagh!"

In a panicked frenzy, Raven herself struck. She dashed in front of him and began to swing wildly like some kind of madman. There was no finesse to her strikes. No elegance befitting her appearance as some sort of swordmaster. Just a woman desperate to survive. The tables had turned on her. She prided herself for her strength and dominance, but now it was her who had become the prey. Momonga didn't understand why, but he enjoyed this feeling. This sentiment about putting her in her place.

"Didn't I just tell you physical attacks like yours are useless?" the undead asked boredly. He grabbed her sword, then shrugged her off and threw her away from him. "[Black Hole]." The spell would be quick and end her in an instant, but Raven was once again quick on her feet. The same could not be said for two more bandits, who found themselves caught in the spell's traction and were torn apart. Their flesh contorted, split and ripped apart. Sinews of flesh were unraveling like string. Bone broke apart and turned into splinters. It was like they were being disassembled before their very eyes.

When the spell ended, only a meager handful of bandits stood in front of Momonga.

"Is this all you have to offer, Raven Branwen? I have to say, I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to see more of your magic. It's quite interesting to see."

Raven did not listen. Losing two more members of her tribe – of her family – had broken off a piece of her mind. Enraged and slowly being driven mad, she let her power flare to life. Ice danced around her body, creating a flurry of icy blades that trailed behind her as she once again went in for the kill. She didn't care if she ended up burning herself out or even died in the process. All that mattered was at least doing some damage to this monstrosity in front of her.

Together, the ice blades struck at a singular point. They were primed to cut off Momonga's head. At the same time, Raven spun around in mid-air and struck at full force, using her momentum and amplifying her strike with her magic, creating a jagged edge along her sword.

Surely, with this, she could do some damage.

It was not to be as Momonga took the blow. Raven's sword bounced off and flew out of her hands, leaving her helpless. She was about to move away when Momonga suddenly grabbed her, hand sprawled across her mask.

"Perhaps you'll feel a little more motivated if I kill off the rest of your tribe?" Momonga inquired with a tilt of his head. Truth be told, he was starting to get a little bored. Even with Raven demonstrating her magical feats, his competitive spirit had not been ignited once. That was why he thought the woman needed a little more incentive to fight. "[Touch of Undeath]. [Paralysis]." A jet-black aura wrapped around his hand and encroached upon Raven. This spell would leave her unable to move for a while, giving him free time to deal with the bandits as he pleased.

But then something unusual and interesting happened. The aura that seeped into Raven's body was suddenly eradicated, as if it was destroyed. In his surprise, his grip slackened and allowed Raven to escape from him. Her mask was left behind in his hand, revealing her face to him at long last.

Momonga didn't care about her looks. She looked like what he expected. Instead, his attention was on something else.

_What was that just now? I definitely casted [Paralysis] just now. With [Touch of Undeath], it should have left her totally impaired. But, that reaction… It looked like the spell was canceled out. Does she have paralysis immunity? No, I don't think that's it, either. I wonder if…_

* * *

While the monster before her paused as if thinking about what it could do next, Raven's body was burning up from the inside. The feeling was entirely different from when she normally used her magic. Normally, whenever she'd push herself to the point of exhaustion, she'd just end up being so mentally exhausted she'd have a migraine and be out of action for a long while. On the days she exceeded her limit, she would be out for days.

But this was different. After whatever this Ainz Ooal Gown creature had attempted to do seemingly ended in failure, her body was burning from the inside out. She found it hard to breath. Her stomach felt like it was revolting against her. Her eyes were watery, throat dry as a desert and her body shaking like a leaf.

_W-what's going on? What did he do to me?_

"B-Boss, are you alright?!" one of her bandits asked in worry.

She looked up and saw their faces. She tried to collect herself, but she was too scared out of her mind. She had never felt this terrified since the day she found the "witch." No, even then she never felt this terrified. And the Grimm could feel it. She knew that they would be appearing.

This was a bad move. She should have never allowed her pride to get in the way of her thinking. They needed to escape from this place. They needed to run away and never look back. They needed to escape this monster.

Before she could utter an order, Ainz Ooal Gown casted another spell, one that filled her with dread.

"[Grasp Heart]."

Raven choked. Her heart thrashed and throbbed angrily while her chest threatened to break apart. She could feel something inside her. Something wrapped around her heart, trying to rip it out. Was this how Vernal died? Did she experience the same thing? Raven thought she was going to die, but the feeling faded and she nearly collapsed on the ground, panting and gasping for breath.

"Interesting… Do you have ailment immunity? No, judging from your reaction, this is something else. Quite intriguing."

"Get away from her!"

Out of anger, one of her comrades rushed in, furious for whatever he had done. He leaped up and attempted to strike the monster down, but found his weapon caught with ease. Ainz gave him a mild glare of annoyance. "If you're going to attempt a sneak attack, do so without screaming your head off." he chided before aiming his free hand at him. "[Hell Flame]." The hellish flames returned and consumed the bandit whole.

Raven gasped for air. Her body was now on its last legs. It could no longer move properly. It felt like all of her strength had been sapped away from her. Her heart was racing. It felt like it was going to explode.

"This is becoming quite annoying." Ainz Ooal Gown huffed as he glared at the tribe, which prepared to stage one final assault. Raven shot them a pleading look and tried to tell them to get away. To live and fight another day. But her voice could not be heard. When she tried to rise up and rush forward to stop them, she ended up falling flat on her face. "You know, none of this wouldn't be happening if you just surrendered like I asked. Then again, far be it for me to tell you how you wish to die."

Ainz gave Raven a glance before he turned his head to his companion. "Albedo. Restain her. We'll be taking her back to Nazarick with us. She has my interest."

"Understood."

"W-wa..."

Raven's plead fell on deaf ears. Albedo pinned her down with her heel. The bladed edge broke past her armor and dug into her back. It cut through her flesh and touched bone. She squirmed, trying to push her off, but to no avail. It felt as if a rock had been thrusted upon her. She could do nothing but watch as Ainz slowly approached her tribe, a menacing dark aura covering his body.

_Step. Step._

"It isn't too late, you know." the undead told them. "If you surrender now, I'll make sure your deaths will be swift. However, if you resist me..."

_Step. Step._

These were not footsteps. They were bell tolls. Death knells for her and her tribe.

Defiance was the only thing the Branwen Tribe knew. They would not allow this monster to insult them. Even if they were going to die, they would do so with pride. They would not falter, not even for a moment. And they would not allow this monster to take Raven. Perhaps they were fools for attempting to think that they could defeat this towering juggernaut, but they would rather be fools than cowards.

With one last battle cry, the Branwen Tribe rushed towards their executioner.

"N-no… Stop!"

"Be silent, you lower life-form." Albedo twisted her heel, causing Raven further pain. "Just watch your tribe die. They should be happy that they will be dead at Lord Ainz's hands."

"So, that's your answer, huh?" Ainz scoffed. The red lights in his sockets burned with intensity, as did the aura that cloaked him like a robe. He sweeped his arm through the air, and the cloak of death expanded. "[Despair Aura V]!"

It exploded and swallowed them whole.

_Thud._

It was done in unison. They fell together as they should have, collapsed and sprawled onto the grass. Their bodies had become pale and were cold to the touch. Their eyes had glazed over and their skin shriveled like husks. It was as if they had the life sucked out of them. Even the surroundings had been killed off by this burst of negative energy. The grass beneath their feet withered and disintegrated. The seeds that were burrowed in the earth to replace them had shriveled up and died. The soil blackened and became rotten. Trees were suddenly gray and naked, not a leaf on their branches.

The air turned foul. A nasueating smell invaded Raven's nostrils, making her gag. Tears stung in her eyes, falling past her cheeks.

Gone. They were all gone.

In a mere second...her family was dead.

The Branwen Tribe was **dead**.

"Yeesh. Maybe I should have used IV or III instead of V." Ainz muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Well, we have plenty of corpses to test, at least." He then turned and Raven felt her body go cold. Death advanced toward her, staring down at her like she was an insignificant bug that could be squashed at a moment's notice. Her heart threatened to erupt from her chest. "Now then, as for you… If I recall, you believe that the strong survive and the weak are killed off, is that right? Then, by that same logic..."

Raven stared, wide-eyed like a frightened child as he extended a hand toward her.

"...you can't complain if you die because you were weak, right?"

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

She needed to get away.

_She needed to get the fuck away!_

At this moment, a phenomenon known to occur in happens transpired. In situations of peril, where the human brain recognizes a dire situation, the human body is suddenly capable of incredible feats that are otherwise impossible. Th best example would be the various reports in Ainz's home world, where mothers, desperate to save their child from their impending doom, suddenly developed incredible strength. Lifting steel beams, a car… And this was just the best known example. There were countless others.

In Raven's case, it was both the frightening realization that she would not die at Ainz's hands, but rather suffer a fate perhaps worse than death. With a terrified scream and a burst of raw power, blades of ice swarmed the air and shot straight at the undead.

"Lord Ainz!"

Albedo had panicked. Though Ainz stared down the incoming attack, knowing full well he could easily defend against it, the armor-clad woman did not wish to take such a risk. It was her duty and task to protect the Supreme Being at all cost. She removed herself from Raven, and in a swift move, destroyed all incoming blades with her polearm. They shattered with ease and scattered into the air, shining brilliantly like diamonds and then fading away into nothingness.

Albedo's body shook with anger, bloodlust rising to the surface. "You… How dare you, you little bitch?!" she roared at the top of her lungs like a screaming banshee, whirling around to face the woman. "How dare you try to–"

She stopped and her eyes widened. Ainz stared for a few seconds before he spoke in annoyance.

"...well, that's irritating."

Raven Branwen was gone, and neither had noticed the raven flying high above in the sky, flying away with incredible desperation.

* * *

Raven crashed into the ground with a thud. Her body rolled and eventually stopped. She didn't move, but she wasn't dead. Her chest was rising and falling. Her body was trembling and whimpers could be heard. Her demeanor had changed drastically. What should have been a proud and feared bandit queen was now a mockery. Tears openly spilled from her face and was crying like some child. Shakily, she pulled herself upright with a nearby tree, steadying her body with her katana.

_This can't be happening._ Raven thought, panting and trying to ignore the utter agony that consumed her. She had no idea how long she had been flying. Hours? Days? All she wanted was to get away from that monster. She didn't even know where the hell she was. She felt grass underneath her and there was a tree beside her, but she didn't seem to notice. _This can't be happening. How was that possible? What was that monster? How could something like that even exist? Does Ozpin know about that creature?!_

So many thoughts whirled about in her head. Accusations and anger that the man who had been playing her and everyone for fools had withhold information like this. But then that faded to the idea that this monstrosity was working for Salem. The witch who threatened all of Remnant.

If that was possible… Then what was the point? How the hell did anyone stand a chance in hell against her?

Worse, her secret had been discovered. It knew that she was a Maiden. And she was now in its sights. It wouldn't let her go. It would hunt her down until it had her in its grasp. The chilling realization brought forth untold terror to Raven to the point where her stomach lurched and violently growled.

Bile rose up her throat. She grabbed her mouth and tried to force it down.

_...they're gone. All of them. They're all gone._

That was the truth laid about before her. Because of her, her tribe was gone. The people she worked so hard to train. The people she promised to return to. The reason why she turned her back on her friends. All of it was gone. Snatched away from her, just like that. All because they were stupid enough to think that they could win. No, not even that. They died because of her. If only she had just let it go. Shiroyuki was insignificant compared to their other marks, so what use was it to her? She should have just accepted her losses.

But that didn't happen. Instead, Raven was stupid and paid the price for her weakness.

_Weak…_

Her body slumped against the tree. Her arms were limp at her sides, the katana now sitting by her leg. Her shoulders trembled, but it was no longer out of fear. Streams began to cascade down her body, aware that it had started to rain.

"..ha..."

A choked sobbed escaped from her lips. Then it turned into giggles. Then it turned into chuckles. Raven pulled her head back and started to laugh. Had anyone heard it, they would have thought she had gone mad.

Nothing had changed at all. She had tried so hard, but it was all for nothing. Her training, her marriage to Taiyang, her turning her back on them, her letting Summer die… It meant nothing.

Raven Branwen, to this day...was still _weak_.

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahaha! Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

"_I have become death, the destroyer of worlds."  
-J. Robert Oppenheimer_


	5. Volume 1: EPILOGUE

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both belong to Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

* * *

_**Something Wicked This Way Comes**_

* * *

Volume 1:  
The God of Death

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

* * *

Hidden underneath the notice of the Kingdoms, known to only a select few in Remnant, there was a land filled with death and despair. In this land, only Grimm roamed for it was their birthplace. Its existence was otherworldly – a realm that humans were never meant to step into.

The skies that hanged overhead were not natural. They were dark purple, matching the almost crystal-like earth beneath it. Giant spires of crystal sprouted up from the ground, some as large as skyscrapers. In the sunlight, they would have dazzled and sparkled. Had one found this land and pilfered from it, taking chunks of these crystals back home to sell them, they would have surely made enough money to live out ten lifetimes in luxury.

Black pools could be found all across this land. At first glance, they seemed like tar pits, especially at how they bubbled and oozed and sloshed with such thickness. But inside these pools, creatures were stirring. Bones were being formed to provide a frame capable for combat. Then came the flesh. These creatures' forms varied as they emerged, pulling themselves out from the pits like babies born from a womb. Wolves, bears, reptiles, birds, snakes – every animal under the sun popped out like twisted mockeries.

Even the atmosphere was unwelcoming. If a human were to set foot on this place, they'd feel oppressed. As if some invisible force was pushing down on them and a blade was pressed against their neck. But that was to be expected. This land was not meant for humans. It has existed for hundreds of thousands of years. Long before humanity had ever existed, in fact.

It was one of the last remaining vestiges and traces of the existences of the brother Gods. The God of Light and the God of Darkness.

In the past, Remnant was once a prosperous experiment called Vytal. Humans lived by the grace of these Gods, offering tribute to them and living in prosperity. But the foolishness of humans had ultimately led to the Gods abandoning Vytal. The God of Darkness' departure had been a furious one, for humanity had spurned his kindness when they attempted to use his gift to them – magic – against him. In response to this treachery, the God of Darkness wiped out humanity in a single move, and left. A shattered moon was left behind in his wake.

Thousands of years had passed, and by the grace of the Gods that abandoned this planet, humanity had returned from death, though not without its companions. The Faunus had been born, but they were not treated as humans. Humans did not understand them or how they came to be. At best, they were treated like slaves.

These lands, considered to be holy ground, was once the home to the God of Darkness – the maker of the Grimm. And now, it was home to one of the original humans who inhabited Remnant.

In a castle forged of crystal, steel and brick, there was a single individual who stood atop a tower's veranda, overlooking the birthing of the Creatures of Grimm. Her form was human, but her skin was ashen white. Red and purple veins had encroached her body, flowing and pulsating and giving her an eerie, inhuman presence matched by her eyes – blood red orbs swimming in black sclera. She wore elegant, dark robes that followed behind her, trailing across the floor.

Once, this woman had been a human of fair beauty and magical prowess, locked away in a tower just like this one. In fact, the castle had been a near-perfect replication of her former prison. Now, she was a witch. A monster who wanted nothing more than to see humanity kill itself by fighting each other, separated and leading up to their inevitable fall.

Her name was Salem. Queen of the Grimm.

For an untold amount of years, Salem had been hiding away in these lands, patiently waiting and plotting while the world continued to turn. Given her incredibly long life, Salem had an untold amount of patience. What was waiting a few hundred years for the opportune moment to strike? Ozpin, a man she once held deeply in her heart, had made it his life's goal to bring humanity together. In turn, she would make sure that never happened. Of course, with only the Grimm and herself, such a task would be impossible. She needed pawns to do her dirty work. It was better to work from the shadows, remain hidden and away from prying eyes. After all, if humanity had a singular foe to fight, they would rally together and face her.

Finding pawns to use in her games with her former love had not been an easy task. After all, she was an existence that wished humanity harm, and they would not be so easily swayed. So she relied on trickery, half-truths and such. Only two acquisitions only required a demonstration of power.

Arthur Watts, a rather brilliant man, had been ousted from Atlas due to people disagreeing with his fascination with the Grimm, though not to the same level as another scientist by the name of Merlot. His research was laughed at in spite of his technological genius. Salem had given him honey-sweet words and an opportunity to pursue his life's goal. Convincing him had been easy.

Tyrian Callows was one of her easy acquisitions. She had no idea if the man was born that way or not, but the moment he saw her form and the power she possessed, he worshiped the very ground she walked. To him, she was a goddess. It had been a long time since she was viewed in such a manner.

Hazel Rainart had not been easy. There was doubt in his heart about his goals, but his resolution was unwavering. He was truly a model Huntsman. But true to Salem's belief that humans could be so easily swayed, she earned opportunity when word was received that his sister had died. It took a day of telling him that she was not responsible for her death as the Grimm do not follow her orders unless she makes them listen and revealing who Ozpin was that he finally came around. And to her delight, a fiery hatred for Ozpin was born that day.

Cinder Fall… Now that had been a worthwhile acquisition. Salem had found her in a cesspool of filth, muck and decay. Everyone around her considered her worthless and weak. Easily exploited. Beaten and spit on for most of her life, Salem had given her a means to pull herself out. A chance to be the one with power. She would offer her power and strength to give her a chance to make others fear her. To be the one who oppressed. It hadn't been until much later that Salem saw that Cinder had potential.

Potential to become a Maiden.

Salem smiled to herself as she recalled Cinder's earlier report to her. Cinder had acquired the power of the Fall Maiden, but only half of it. Ozpin's pawn had intervened before she had a chance to take it all for herself. It wasn't ideal, but Salem was pleased. After all, her experiment had been successful. It took many hard years of research, trying to discover ways to steal the powers of the Maidens. Watts' help was invaluable in this endeavor, and she made sure to let him know.

This was just the first step. There were many other steps to take. Opportunities to take advantage of.

As she watched a new Grimm being born, a slithering creature with an elongated mouth lined with rows of fangs, she heard footsteps approach her from behind. She didn't turn around, having an idea as to who it may have been.

"Watts." Salem spoke, her voice not matching her appearance at all. She sounded heavenly, almost like an angel that could provide warmth in a person's heart should they hear her. "Anything new to report to me?"

"Not quite." the man told her. "But, there is something you should see. One of the drones patrolling Mistral happened to find this."

He handed her his Scroll. Salem took it and stared at the image. It showed lush woodlands belonging to the borders of Mistral. However, there was a glaring eyesore in the picture. A large patch of land had been reduced to decay. The grass had withered away and disintegrated. The soil had become pitch black and became rotten. The plants had died out, shriveled and reduced to deathly mockeries. The trees had died as well, devoid of leaves and their bark becoming ashen white and shriveled. It was as if the life had been sucked out of this patch of land.

It was a bizarre sight, to be sure.

"What in the world did this?" she asked, curious. "If this was caused by a semblance, I would _very_ much like to meet whoever did that."

Watts chuckled. "Then you'll find the next image to be interesting." he said. "That photo was taken about forty minutes after this one."

Salem moved to the other photograph and her eyes widened. The surroundings were the same, but the eyesore that was that lifeless patch of mother nature was gone. An abundance of life had grown over it. Roots, grass, trees and plants had all taken up residence over it. However, Salem likened it to a rushed patch job, as the overwhelming covering of greenery did not match the forest at all. She even spotted plants that were not native to Mistral at all. The trees also varied, some larger than others.

It was almost as if someone had stepped on mother nature's gas pedal and sped up the process of forest growth, with mixed results.

"Interesting..."

* * *

Momonga had returned to Nazarick with Albedo in tow, the former slightly annoyed.

_I can't believe she got away!_ Momonga whined pitifully like a child who just got his toy stolen. _How did she even do that?! One moment she was there, and the next, gone!_ His emotions started to grow wild, but then were quickly squashed. He then let out a sigh and shook his head. _Oh, well. No use crying over spilled milk. Still, that Raven woman… She is interesting._

She had disprove the thoughts he had about magic not existing in this world. Somehow, this woman was proof that it did exist. If his theory was correct, then only a handful of individuals were capable of magic, and because of its rarity, they had to hide it away from the world. They couldn't risk it being shown off, lest they attract unwanted attention.

Unfortunately for Raven, she did attract attention. _His_ attention. The collector in Momonga was thrilled to have something else to look at. All the possibilities to consider…

_Shiroyuki's been saved, but no one will know about my feats there. It sucks that I had to erase everyone's memories, but it wasn't like I had much choice. It's better to keep me being able to use magic secret. Which means I'll be hunting Raven Branwen down either way._

There were other matters to discuss as well. Momonga had been thinking about it for a while now, ever since the night he gazed upon this world's broken moon. The thought that his friends from the guild could be in this world somehow. It was a shot in the dark, he knew. There was no real evidence that they would be here. If there was any evidence, it was his being here.

Surely, there must have been a reason as to why he was brought here. He couldn't be alone, could he?

No, that wasn't true. He wasn't alone. The entirety of Nazarick was here with him, but he was sure even they would want to see their creators again.

_If my friends are here, I will find them._ Momonga solemnly declared in his mind.

"Lord Momonga?" Albedo called to him. She was no clad in armor and had returned to wearing her beautiful white dress. "Are you alright? You have been quite for a while."

"I'm fine, Albedo." he assured her. "Just thinking about some things."

"I see!"

"...actually, Albedo. I have a task for you." She straightened her back and became alert. "Would you mind gathering all of Nazarick to the Throne Room in an hour? There are some things I would like to discuss with everyone."

Albedo nodded and immediately went about her task. Now alone, Momonga was left to ponder further.

* * *

After an hour of thinking about where to go from here, Momonga had finally settled on what to do. He reached the 10th Floor and took his place on the throne. He did not have to wait long for all of Nazarick had gathered in the room, filling up almost the entire floor. The Throne Room was not small by any means, as it could easily match the size of three baseball fields. However, Nazarick was huge as well and housed an enormous amount of NPCs. Admittedly, over eighty percent of those NPCs were low leveled and mostly served the purpose of tending to menial tasks, but it was still incredible to witness.

Momonga felt his chest swell with pride. This was it; the cultivation of everything he and his friends had built over the years. All of the characters that stood before him were their legacies.

They were _Ainz Ooal Gown_'s legacy.

"My lord!" Albedo announced. "All of Nazarick has gathered before you!"

"Well done." Momonga thanked her. Her face brightened and shook in delight for having received praise. "Now then… As I'm sure most of you are aware, Albedo and I defended a human settlement not too far. Through this, we've learned a great deal of information about this world, as well as its inhabitants. To start, Demiurge. Tell everyone what you've learned about the Grimm."

Deimurge nodded and stood up, turning to the crowd of NPCs. "Thanks to Aura and the help of others, we were able to subjugate a few Grimm. Through a few experiments, we've determined that the Grimm naturally die when they're being held in captivity. This is likely a defensive mechanism to prevent anyone from learning about their biology and any effective means of countering them. Based on my own experiments, the Grimm are born for combat. Their bones are designed to be quite durable. For example, a simple kitchen knife from YGGDRASIL did absolutely nothing. Same as a normal blade wielded by a human at maximum strength, as far as human standards go. However, a low-tier weapon was able to scratch the bone, and that was with moderate human strength. Simply put, only specialized weaponry and those of considerable power are capable of killing the Grimm. We've also discovered that the Grimm do not have any organs. No lungs, stomach or even a heart. They do not even possess a brain."

"No brain?" Sebas inquired. "Then how are they able to think and move?"

"I believe it's simply how they were designed. The Grimm are not natural by any means, as when they are killed, they dissipate. Resurrection magic also has no effect on them. My current theory is that the Grimm are similar to summons, like a Death Knight."

Momonga hummed, rubbing his jaw. That was an interesting theory, and it would make sense. "I see. Demiurge, continue your experiments with the Grimm. Also, see if you can apply YGGDRASIL's raising methods to them. I'm curious to see if they can learn anything."

"As you wish, Lord Momonga."

"Secondly, Mare. About that favor I asked of you."

The male dark elf nodded and stood up. "I-I was able to cover up the damage caused by your skill, so the villagers shouldn't be too suspicious."

"Thank you very much, Mare. As it turns out, magic is a foreign concept to this world. It only exists in fiction. It would be quite troublesome if people discovered we could use magic, so I had no choice but to erase the villager's memories. As far as they know, we have done nothing. On that topic, however, we can confirm that magic does indeed exist, but it is not magic familiar to YGGDRASIL." He turned his head to Albedo, who nodded and held up a hand, creating a projection showing Raven Branwen, clad in her red armor and her face revealed. "This is Raven Branwen, the leader of the bandits that attacked Shiroyuki. She is what I believe to be one of the few people capable of using magic. She is also aware that I too can use magic. By my estimate, I believe she is Level 40 or higher. I want this woman alive."

"Understood, Lord Momonga!" the NPCs of Nazarick bowed their heads. If Momonga wished to capture this woman and ensure that his existence would not be revealed, they would do everything in their power to do so.

Momonga then fell silent for a moment before he raised his head. "There is one more thing I would like to address to you all." he said. They listened with rapt attention and watched as Momonga raised his hand, aiming it at one of the flags that lined the way to the throne. "[Greater Break Item]." A surge of magical power rushed forward and obliterated the flag, leaving nothing behind. The Floor Guardians and all those in attendance gasped in shock and looked back at Momonga, who rose from his throne.

"I am changing my name. From this day forward, I am Ainz Ooal Gown! You may address me as Ainz." he declared. "All of you, listen well! This is an absolute order. Make the name Ainz Ooal Gown an eternal legend! Engrave it upon this world! If there are legends, we shall surpass them!"

The display and roaring passion was met with equal fervor. Albedo bowed her head. "As you command, Lord Momonga – no, Lord Ainz! For the glory of Nazarick, we will ensure that everyone in this world shall remember your name for all time! All hail the Supreme Ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick and Overlord of Death, Ainz Ooal Gown! All hail!"

"All hail!"

Thunderous applause and cheers and vows were made this day. Momonga accepted it all and stared at the flags that represented his friends.

_I swear, if you guys are here… I will find you!_

* * *

After Ainz had disappeared and the NPCs had set out for their tasks, only the Floor Guardians remained. Albedo had secretly messaged them to stay once the Supreme Being had finished making his declaration. It was a matter of importance, she had claimed, for it contained the will of the Supreme Being himself.

After confirming that Ainz had left and there was no one else around, Albedo turned to her fellows. "Demiurge. Please tell everyone what you learned the other night."

The demon chuckled and straightened out his tie, addressing them. "On the night Lord Ainz gazed upon this world's broken moon, he likened the glittering stars like jewels. He said, perhaps he had come to this world to claim everything it had to offer." He paused, if only for some sort of dramatic effect and adjusted his glasses and smirked. "Just before he went to give Mare a gift, I heard him say… _World Domination, huh? Heh, that does sound like fun_."

The Floor Guardians stared at Demiurge, absorbing their words and thinking on them before they turned to Albedo, who smiled with the face of a devil. "For the sake of Lord Ainz… Let us offer this world to him."

**–_Remnant is all yours._**


	6. Volume 1: afterword

**Afterwords**

* * *

_I have no name. I am but two days old…_

Just kidding.

Hello, everyone. And welcome to my first fanfiction story ever. To start off, I want to thank everyone who took the time to read this and offer me their thoughts. When I started this story, I wasn't expecting this level of feedback.

That also includes the criticism. I must agree with everyone that the ending to Chapter 3 could have been handled a bit better, especially since I literally pulled off a "Rule of Cool" moment. There is a reason for that, though. I was tired, I had only two hours of sleep that day, and I really just wanted to finish that chapter and post it and then go to bed. A slave to my fingers and computer, so the quality was not what I would have liked.

If anyone would like to help me rewrite that particular ending, please offer me your ideas. I am still a novice and an amateur.

I've also noticed that a lot of people have been asking me questions about OC's. I understand that OC's are either loved or hated, depending on the story and how they are written, so I will go ahead and say that I find OC's necessary in some capacity. Does that mean I will be including them in my story? Yes, I will. Does that mean they will have focus?

No, it does not.

In this story, original characters will only serve two purposes. To help build the world and to be stepping stones. They will either get some screentime and be left forgotten, like the villagers of Shiroyuki, or serve as stepping stones for Momonga's path for worldwide domination.

At any rate, going back to Chapter 3. When I've rested well enough and gotten caffein in my veins, I will work on writing a revised ending. Raven will still be alive and out of Momonga's hands (for the moment), but she isn't going to find herself somehow surviving the one shot kill that is The Goal of All Life is Death.

Regarding Raven somehow escaping Momonga, for clarification, she used her ability to shapeshift into a bird after she managed to distract Momonga for a brief moment. There was no teleportation or anything like that, just Raven changing into something else and hoping to the brother gods he did not notice her. Not that it will matter in the long run. She is being hunted by Nazarick, and we all know how that will turn out.

For the record, I would like to say that I am not bashing Raven. In fact, I confess that I am a fan of her character and sincerely hope she gets a redemption arc or something along those lines.

About my update schedule. I will be frank, I focus more on my real life than on here. So when you guys ask me about when I will be updating, my answer will always be: its coming when its ready.

Thank you again for reading this story, and I hope to see you all again in the next round. _Ciao_~


	7. Volume 2: foreword

**Foreword**

* * *

_I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe, that made my love so high...and me, so low._

Before you ask, if my username or profile picture has not given it away, I am a fanboy of V.

Welcome to Volume 2, everyone. Before we begin, I'd like to once again thank everyone who has followed this story. We are only five chapters in, and already this story has developed an amazing following. I never would have thought that I would gather this much attention.

Honestly, you guys make me want to cry. It doesn't help that I'm really close to my period here. Damn emotions and onion ninjas.

Anyway, let me talk about my plans for Volume 2. Unlike Volume 1, which was following familiar territory from the light novel by having Momonga defend a village so he could gather information, this book will be different. For starters, "Momon" will serve a different role. Jaune Arc is proof that someone can fight effectively with just a sword and shield, no fancy weapon changing gimmicks like everyone else has, but I don't want to do that. I've retread enough familiar territory.

Admittedly, some parts may be similar to the light novel, but for the most part, the majority of this volume will be original content.

This _is_ set a year before Ruby meets Roman and gets accepted into Beacon a year early.

With that out of the way, I hope you will enjoy the newest installment of _Something Wicked This Way Comes_.

_Ciao_!

P.S: A very big thank you to whoever made a TV Tropes page for this story. You have officially become my favorite reader.


	8. Volume 2: PROLOGUE

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth.**

* * *

_**Something Wicked This Way Comes**_

* * *

Volume 2:  
The Lone Huntress

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

_"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you wish to test a man's character, give him power."  
-Abraham Lincoln_

In the weeks that followed Ainz's declaration, Nazarick was in full swing. Everyone had been given a task, first and foremost was gathering more information about the kingdoms. If Ainz was serious about finding his friends in the guild, he needed to understand the world better. He couldn't just go on with second-hand information from the village chief from Shiroyuki. To this end, he had ordered Sebas and Solution Epsilon to go out into Mistral and gather further information.

The idea was that, with the immense wealth at Nazarick's disposal and the minerals they had stored away in the treasury, they could masquerade as the daughter of a wealthy merchant and servant. It was somewhat of a risky move, but Ainz was willing to take the risk. To be on the safe side, however, both NPCs had been given a Shadow Demon to observe them and report back to him immediately, should something happen that would warrant his attention. Furthermore, if the two encountered any sort of complication, they were to report back to him immediately.

Speaking of the undead, Ainz was sitting in a spacious room that looked very much like a library. The shelves that covered the walls were lined with books of all sorts, mostly just manuals and in-game novels for Players to read at their leisure. Behind a large desk was the banner of the guild, sitting proudly for all to see. This was a recent addition, as Ainz felt it would be fitting and added a sense of flare.

He was sitting at said desk, writing up a few documents and ideas to pass through to Albedo and Demiurge as part of his plans to reorganize Nazarick so it could function more effectively. The two, while normally submissive and going along with his every plans, had made amendments and offered their own ideas when they reviewed his whenever he asked for critique. Given that both were better suited to handle this task, it was natural for him to ask for assistance.

That being said, however, Ainz still felt exasperated whenever he was forced to work with them. _They have waaay too much faith in me. I mean, really. Do they think I'm some omnipotent entity or something? Actually, no. Wait. They might see me like that. Shiiit!_

He sighed deeply and shook his head in sorrow. Since the Great Tomb of Nazarick had been brought to Remnant, he had been doing his best to act the part of the leader they expected him to be. This included going along with whatever plans they thought he might have been thinking of, despite having no clue what the hell was he was doing. For all intents and purposes, he was going in blind. He had tried to convince them, but they all thought he was just being humble.

There was also another problem he had to consider as well. That was namely how everyone viewed humans. Perhaps it was because of their karma ranking or their species, or simply because it was how they were designed. Albedo's hostility and overall views of humans during their operation in Shiroyuki told him that he couldn't just send them out and hope that they wouldn't kill humans if they pushed too hard. He had to be smart about who he was sending out.

For starters, Sebas and Solution.

Solution was among the "humans are worthless and not worthy of our attention" camp. If she was ever given the opportunity, she would gorge herself on humans all day. It was primarily because of this that she was given the role of the wealthy merchant's daughter. It may have been stereotypical, but her overall haughty and arrogance towards humans would prove the image that she looked down on those of lower birth and would have limited contact.

Sebas, however, had admitted that while he saw little value in humans, he did understand that there were some that had worth, whether towards Nazarick or towards society in general. It was an answer befitting Touch Me's creation. And since he had one of the highest positive karma ratings in Nazarick, he was ideal in accompanying Solution and handling any and all interactions. He was also the safest choice, considering that he was one of Nazarick's most competent combatants.

Aside from this, Ainz had also gathered the opinions of other denizens of Nazarick. To his slight dismay, the majority had all stated that they had no real positive things to say about humans, looked down on them or simply thought they should be killed or be used as slave labor.

Internally, Satoru Suzuki weeped, wondering if their feelings were because of his negligence as guild leader.

A sharp knock came to his attention. "Enter!" he called. The door opened to reveal Albedo and Demiurge, the latter positively beaming. "Albedo, Demiurge. To what do I owe the pleasure."

"Lord Ainz," Albedo smiled sweetly. Somehow, the smile suited her wonderfully and lit his non-existent heart aflutter. Once again, he had to praise Tabula's attention to detail in crafting her. "As you commanded, Aura and the Eight-Edge Assassins performed a thorough sweep of the area around Nazarick and past Shiroyuki village."

"And?"

Demiurge stepped forward and produced something from his pocket, setting it down on the desk. It was a giant crystal, around the size of a softball with a low radiance. It was colored deep blue and seemed to be shimmering almost slightly. Ainz stared at it with intrigue before he looked up at Demiurge for an explanation. "Aura happened to discover a mine two kilometers from Shiroyuki village. There were several large mineral deposits inside, virtually untapped and undisturbed. Based on the information you retrieved from the humans in Shiroyuki village, I believe that this is what the inhabitants of this world call Dust."

"Nature's Wrath, eh?" Ainz hummed. Based on the information he had, Dust sounded very much like the items Players would occasionally get from cash shops, gacha or drops. Elemental bombs were dirt cheap and were almost exclusively used by newbies and amateurs who didn't have access to any decent damage-dealing skills yet.

The village chief had showed him what Dust looked like, but the specimen Demiurge brought before him looked like a valuable unrefined jewel in comparison to the tiny gem the chief had.

Curious to see how it was in terms of wealth and power, Ainz raised his hand and casted the skill [Appraise Item]. This spell was common and allowed Players to view the statistical information of any item, be it consumable, a piece of armor or even a Key Item necessary to progress through a quest. When he casted the spell, information began to enter his mind.

_...holy hell!_

To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. He couldn't stop himself from laughing, earning confusion from the two Floor Guardians. "Lord Ainz? Is-is something the matter?" Albedo asked, slightly concerned for her master and focus of her affections.

"Demiurge!" Ainz could not withhold the excitement in his voice. "You said that the mine that contained this Dust was untouched, is that right?"

"Yes, Lord Ainz."

"Excellent! Excavate as much as you can." he ordered, much to their surprise. It was then he realized his mistake and inwardly cursed. "Hm, forgive me. I got ahead of myself. It seems that this Dust crystal, while largely unrefined, has immense purity. Comparing it to the small crystal the village chief showed me, this chunk of Dust contains much more power. If we were to use it as it is, it's destructive power would match a tier four spell."

Albedo's eyes widened. "Incredible! To think these lowly humans have been using something so valuable..."

"Indeed. This could be the breakthrough I was looking for." Demiurge tilted his head. "Eventually, I intend on establishing a presence in this world, separate from Nazarick. Before I can attempt to do that, however, I need eyes and ears all over the four Kingdoms. Basic information, such as exchange and values of wealth of common goods. The Huntsmen Academies and how they train their warriors. Atlas and its technological advancements. Those sorts of things."

Demiurge nodded in understanding. "I see. I take it that's why you sent them to different Kingdoms?"

"Indeed. Sebas and Solution should already be at Haven as we speak. As for _her…_ Albedo, any word?"

"Her flight has already left. We should consider ourselves lucky that Mistral had underground connections."

"That, and access to valuable wealth." Ainz chuckled. "Gold seems to have far more value than lien."

* * *

If you were to ask someone to describe Velvet Scarlatina in a word, it would be "anxious."

Born into a middle-class family, she lived a fairly normal life. As normal as life could get for a Faunus, that is. There were the occasional jeers and taunts and racial prejudice in Vale, but it had never reached the point where it had become too much for her to endure. She was also lucky that there had never been an instance of physical bullying, though this was in part due to the Combat Preparation Academy having a zero tolerance policy.

Another reason behind the bullying was her parents. She was among the middle-ground of Faunus to have a mixed heritage. Her father was human and a photographer that previously worked for the Vale Tribunal before he retired and settled on being a stay-at-home dad. Her mother was a Faunus and a retired Huntress, now working at a diner in downtown Vale. Because Velvet was a half-breed, she was sometimes ridiculed by the other Faunus children who were pure bloods, or so the slang terms went.

In all honesty, Velvet did not understand what the difference was. Yes, she had a human father, but her rabbit ears were proof that she was Faunus like they were. She didn't understand why some of her peers, who were like her and suffered from racist treatment from other humans, would ostracize her simply for having a human parent.

She didn't let it get to her. Thanks to the support of her pen pal and her parents, she was able to push through all the taunts and pursue her dream. Ever since she was a kid, her mother had raised her on stories of her misadventures with her team. Fighting Grimm, seeing exciting new places, saving people – it was like being told a fairy tale. Velvet had idolized her mother and grew up on these stories. By the time she was old enough to enroll at a Combat Preparation Academy, she had expressed her desire to follow in her mother's footsteps.

Her parents had been supportive, and given that her mother had made more than enough cash during her time as an active Huntress, she was able to pursue her dream. Naturally, though, the training was harsh and on more than one occasion Velvet felt like giving up. It was through sheer will power that she managed to reach where she was now.

She was now seventeen years old, a budding woman on the verge of adulthood. Her father had stated on more than one occasion that she looked very much like her mother, inheriting her long rabbit ears, chocolate brown hair and eyes and heart-shaped face. She wouldn't say she was beautiful or cute, perhaps just slightly average. Velvet was not vain about her looks, but she did have some taste in fashion, mostly because of her pen pal offering her suggestions.

That being said, sometimes they could be...quite daring. Her cheeks turned scarlet, remembering the photograph she had been sent shortly before she received a letter of acceptance from Beacon Academy.

In the far back of her mind, a treacherous voice wondered if she would ever look that good in a bikini.

A slight jostle nearly threw her off her feet. Steadying herself, Velvet looked out the window of the Bulkhead making its way towards the facility sitting near the cliffside in the distance. It looked like a castle, and it may very have well been if the historical records were correct. It was said that this place was built atop the ruins of what had once been the castle of the King of Vale.

It was Beacon Academy. One of the four Huntsmen Academies, and it was Velvet's first real step towards fulfilling her dream.

And it was the primary reason why she was so anxious. This was the big leagues. The be all end all. Her palms were sweaty and the butterflies in her stomach were kicking up a fuss. She couldn't calm down. Her feet were rhythmically shifting back and forth while she fiddled with the camera hanging around her neck, opening the lens and closing it and then opening it again.

_Calm down, Velvet. Calm down._ she tried to tell herself. She was both excited and worried. She was certain she had passed the written exam and scored a passing grade on the practical, but the exam that would be taking place tomorrow was going to be something else altogether. It was common knowledge that the exam that would determine who was accepted into Beacon Academy and who would be sent home was changed regularly. The only constant was that it always took place in the Emerald Forest, which was known to be a hot spot for Grimm activity.

While she was excited, Velvet was worried. What if she didn't pass the exam? What if she was sent back home? True, there was a chance she could try again next year, but what if she screwed up? She didn't want to tell her parents that she wasn't able to make the cut. She wanted to make them proud.

The jostling the Bulkhead seemed to enjoy doing didn't help matters. The bay was crowded and there were quite a few people who gave Velvet the stink-eye, no doubt because of her extra set of ears. She didn't want to cause trouble by smacking into them, so she tried to steady herself and held onto the railing as best she could. One wrong misstep and she'd go spilling all over the place. If that happened, she might also end up ruining her camera.

This was worth so much. Not in terms of monetary value, but of importance to her. There were a few bugs to work out, but for the most part, it was almost done.

Another rumble shook the Bulkhead, this one much stronger due to the rather strong winds this month. Velvet's grip went slack for only a moment and she ended up stumbling back, smacking into someone in the process. Immediately, she feared that a confrontation would ensue. What if this person disliked Faunus? What if they were going to make a big deal out of this? What if she had caused them trouble? Oh, how she really didn't want her first day at Beacon to go like this!

To her relief, her fears were unfounded. Instead, the person she bumped into had caught her before she hit the ground. "...are you alright?" they asked in a soft yet deadpan tone that had little emotion. Velvet looked up and blushed.

If you were to ask if Velvet was heterosexual or bisexual, she would admit to having found a few women attractive, with her pen pale Coco Adel being among those. Coco had been a drop dead knockout when Velvet showed her a selfie she had taken when they first met online. Though Velvet preferred men, this woman managed to get her heart racing.

Yet somehow the girl who had caught her in a surprisingly strong grip for someone her size, a year or two younger than herself, was prettier than Coco.

She was not beautiful by any means. In fact, "cute" might suit her better. Her skin was near flawless, pale but not as white as snow. There were no blemishes. It looked so fair she wondered if it felt smooth to the touch. Her lips were thin with a slight pink color, and her hair was red-gold, falling down past her shoulders. This close, Velvet could smell a beautiful fragrance coming from her, making her wonder what sort of conditioner she must have used, especially given how shiny and perfect her hair seemed. Had she not known any better, she would have thought this girl was some kind of doll.

Her clothes were slightly bizarre. A scarf patterned with camouflage colors was wrapped around her neck, the end coming down to her waist. She wore a black tank top that exposed her belly, equally as beautiful and smooth as the rest of her skin, with a heavy jacket thrown over it. Over her hands were fingerless black gloves with metal bits positioned over the knuckles and fingertips. Her jeans were well-worn, having a few tears with combat boots stained with mud. Oddly, her weapon was positioned at her hip as if she were carrying it like a sword.

The most alluring feature, however, was her eye. The left side of her face was hidden beneath an eyepatch, making her wonder if she had been injured or something. Her right eye was peculiar, in that it was a beautiful emerald color. The peculiar part was the cross-hair shaped pattern in the center of the iris.

_Part of her semblance, maybe?_ Velvet wondered. _Still, I hope Coco doesn't see this. She'd have a field day with this girl!_

"...are you alright?" the girl asked again in the same monotone voice.

Realizing that she had been staring, Velvet blushed and gently pushed herself out of the girl's arms. "O-oh, yes! I'm fine! Perfectly fine!" she said hastily, waving her hands. "I-I'm very sorry for bumping into you!"

"...it's fine." the girl replied, looking at her for a brief moment. Velvet swore she saw her looking at her ears, making her nervous. Perhaps she only just now noticed them? "...soft."

She blinked. "W-what?"

[Attention.] the PA system sparked to life. [We will be landing at Beacon Academy in two minutes. Please gather your belongings and wait by the docking bay doors. Remember to stay behind the blue line for your own safety.]

Velvet felt the tension in her body return after hearing that. "It's almost time..." she muttered. She took a deep breath to compose herself. This was it. This was going to be a new beginning for her. Today, the story of Velvet Scarlatina the Huntress would begin! "We should probably-huh?" She looked at the girl, going to suggest they get ready to go, only to see that the girl was gone. "Where did she go…?"

Actually, now that she thought about it, who was she? She looked quite young to be attending Beacon. Perhaps she was somebody's relative? Saving those thoughts for later, Velvet turned and walked over to the luggage area, going to grab her stuff. She stopped briefly near a window when she noticed in her reflection that there was something sticking to her rabbit ear. She frowned slightly, thinking that it was probably a joke by one of the other attendees before removing it. The sticker wasn't anything she had seen before, as it had a "Y" printed on it with two slash marks over it.

"What kind of sticker is this? Maybe some kind of brand…?"

* * *

Of all the Headmasters to have taken up the mantle, there was little doubt that Ozpin had been the youngest person to hold the position. Widely known throughout the four Kingdoms, he was considered to be a prodigy, having been accepted into this very same institution when he was fourteen years old and graduated at seventeen. It was only three years later, at the age of twenty, that he had succeeded the previous Headmaster of Beacon.

In those many years, Ozpin had seen the rise and fall of many great Huntsmen and Huntresses. Some of which had been the very best he had ever seen. Among those was the now defunct Team STRQ, which had disbanded for numerous reasons. The separation of that team had been a great loss to the world, and even harder had been the death of one of its members. To this day, Ozpin mourned the loss of Summer Rose. He had met very few people who had that wonderful spark, that drive to push forward regardless of danger, and the potential to become something greater.

He idly wondered if it was because of his need to cultivate that nature that led to her death.

Unknown to but a select few, Ozpin had a secret. He had seen more than just many great Huntsmen and Huntresses. He had seen the rise and fall of the monarchy of the four Kingdoms of Remnant from the years of the Great War. In truth, what was the youngest Headmaster was a man cursed to reincarnate into like-minded individuals. People who shared his ideals and beliefs, all for the sake of protecting Remnant.

For the sake of defeating Salem.

Once, the two had shared a bond. A bond that had ultimately been shattered due to numerous circumstances. To this day, the events weigh heavily on his mind, and on more than one occasion he wished he could return to those golden days. But they were bittersweet dreams. He had no choice but to pursue his current destination. Salem had made it clear that she had burned the bridges between the two of them. They were forevermore enemies, and the struggle would only end when one of them stayed dead.

Ozpin had spent countless years attempting to bring humanity together. The establishment of the Four Kingdoms had been one of those attempts, along with the purpose of establishing a means to creating warriors who could defend the people from the Grimm. There was also another reason, of course. Beneath each of the four Huntsmen Academies was a vault of sorts. Inside these vaults were powerful artifacts, each capable of great power. To ensure that the artifacts would only ever be used in times of need, only certain individuals could open these vaults.

Those individuals were the Maidens. Which led to Ozpin's current worries. A few months ago, the current Fall Maiden had been attacked and had somehow been stripped of half of her powers. The poor woman was on death's door and had to be placed into intensive care. Right now, the only reason she was still alive was because of Atlas' technological advancements and breakthroughs in medicine. The problem, however, was that she was comatose. The odds of her waking up, much less staying alive, were very low. She was living on borrowed time.

Ozpin had never seen anything like this happen. For a Maiden to have her powers be taken from her was unheard of. The only explanation he could think of was Salem. She had countless years of experimentation. Ways to figure out how to reclaim the magic that once belonged to the original Maidens. Unlike her, Ozpin's magic was fading overtime. Each reincarnation had lessened what little magical abilities he had, and soon, he would have no more left to spare. That was why he had to conserve what little he had left.

While Ozpin's current plan was to find out whoever had stolen the Fall Maiden's powers, he was also looking into who could be her successor. In the worst case scenario that they had to prevent the rest of the Maiden's powers from falling into her attacker's hands, Ozpin and another of his allies, James Ironwood, had been figuring out a way to transfer a Maiden's powers. Though he was unsure if this method would actually work or not, it was the best option they had.

It was his hope that a potential candidate for the Fall Maiden would make themselves known. It was a small hope, but one Ozpin was willing to bet on.

_For now, though, I have other engagements._ Ozpin mused as he mentally prepared himself. Today was the day the initiates would be gathering. And it would be his job to weed out the lackluster from the greats. _It feels like every year we get less and less students. I hope that isn't a bad sign._

As he prepared to leave his office and make his way to the auditorium, the sound of a blade cutting through the air filled the room. A swirling door of red and black opened up in the middle of the office. It was a familiar sight, one that Ozpin doubted he would see. Stepping out from the portal were two familiar people, one of them being the source behind the phenomenon.

He smiled wryly. "If I recall, you said you would never come back here." he said with some amusement. Raven shot him a glare. Ordinary men would have buckled beneath it, but Ozpin noticed that the woman looked as if she had been put through the wringer. "Did you manage to convince her, Qrow?"

"Sort of." his agent shrugged, taking a swig of his flask. "It's kind of a long story, Oz. We come at a bad time?"

"I was on my way to go greet the new initiates for this year, but I think I can make time." Ozpin said, sitting back down. "Can I offer you anything to drink, Raven?"

"No." Raven said icily. It was clear by the tone of her voice that she would rather be anywhere but here. Not that he blamed her. They had parted on less than ideal circumstances. "In fact, let's just skip the pleasantries. The only reason I'm here is because I don't have a choice in the matter."

Ozpin raised his eyebrow at that. He glanced at Qrow, who's face turned solemn. "...I take it your venture into Vacuo was fruitful?"

"You could say that..." Qrow grimaced. "So, we got a quick question for ya, Oz. What do you know about a monster called Ainz Ooal Gown?"

"_I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create."  
-William Blake_


	9. Volume 2: Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

* * *

_**Something Wicked This Way Comes**_

* * *

Volume 2:  
The Lone Huntress

* * *

**CHAPTER 1 | A Shining Beacon**

Beacon Academy was more of a castle than a school. CZ Delta, or "Shizu" as she preferred, had believed that it would be like the what the Supreme Being Yamaiko had described in conversation with fellow Supreme Being Ulbert Alain Odle, but she had been wrong. Schools were built like castles, grand and awe-inspiring to humans. It paled in comparison to the grandeur that was the Great Tomb of Nazarick, but not every castle could be as sophisticated.

The path that led up to the castle was lined with maple trees, or what Shizu had assumed were maple trees, and lamp posts to no doubt guide the way in the dark. Halfway towards the front gate was a statue showing two warriors, standing triumphantly atop a rock with a Beowolf Grimm cowering beneath it. Shizu believed that this statue was built for moral purposes. To inspire the students that they were coming here to learn how to fight and defeat the Grimm. That they would be taught to hone their strengths.

Shizu, however, had no interest in becoming an "adventurer," or so Lord Ainz had compared Huntsmen to. She was here to discover what she could about this environment and report her findings back to Nazarick. It would be an interesting learning experience to say the least. Lord Ainz had wanted to gather information about fledgling Huntresses and Huntsmen, and if possible, information about aura and semblances. Given that these two abilities were not present in YGGDRASIL, and that Lord Ainz had yet to discover who or what had brought the Tomb to this world, he wished to gather as much intelligence about these possible threats.

There had been the option of just eliminating them now, but Shizu didn't consider them hostile. At least, not yet. Like elder sister Yuri Alpha, Shizu did not hold humans in contempt. Yes, she did consider them inferior to those in Nazarick, but she would not go out of her way to be overly hostile towards them. Of course, that also meant she wouldn't actually attempt to become friendly with them, either. If need be, she would attempt to form human relations, but for the most part, she simply wished to focus on the task at hand.

In honesty, she was quite curious to see what school was like. Any references she had to topics relating to "school" were off second-hand information from Supreme Being Yamaiko, who was a school teacher outside of YGGDRASIL. Based on what information she had, teachers were people who garnered great respect and held immense power, but were often forced to deal with troublesome children who may or may not have been stronger than them.

If such was the case, then perhaps the teachers here at Beacon, no doubt veteran Huntsmen who had retired from the field, would prove to be formidable foes if made enemies.

Shizu made a reminder to look into the teachers here at Beacon, study them, and then report her findings to Lord Ainz. If these individuals were powerful, then it would be best to keep an eye on them.

Speaking of troublesome children, Shizu had also found that the majority of humans who had chosen to attend Beacon Academy held the demihumans in contempt. She knew of this from the information Lord Ainz had retrieved from Shiroyuki, but she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. The discrimination did not seem to be as severe as the prejudice heteromorphics like herself were often subjected to, but this was just a sample of the discrimination. Perhaps there would be more severe cases during her time here.

On that note, however, Shizu had resisted the urge to walk up and place her stickers on the demihumans who's ears she found to be utterly adorable. To her slight disappointment, the bunny-eared demihuman had removed the sticker.

Oh well. She could always replace it with a new one.

"Excuse me, little girl."

Shizu ignored the suave voice coming from behind her and continued to proceed towards the front gate, following the instructions listed on the pamphlet she had been given when she arrived in the Bulkhead. The vehicle was amazing in her opinion. She knew there were flying ships in YGGDRASIL, but she had never seen them herself. And she was certain there had not been ships made entirely of metal. This was yet another finding she would report to Lord Ainz.

"_Excuse_ me!" Shizu stopped. The voice was apparently addressing her. She weighed her options. She could ignore them and continue onward or she could give them a moment of her time. The opening ceremony did not begin for another ten minutes. Making her choice, Shizu turned around and found a young adult male looking down at her with arrogance.

The word "pompous" came to mind. Everything about him told her that he was pampered and full of misplaced confidence. His face was only mildly attractive by human standards, but she would compliment his well-kept cherry red hair that came down past his shoulders, tied back into a braided ponytail. His nose was on the small side and his chin was angular, and his eyes were of the shifty sort, both squinting and somehow smiling at the same time. They were dark blue, filled with newly developed lust. His clothes seemed to suggest that he was from a wealthy familiar, as she noticed the golden-laced designs in his duster coat, which converged on the left shoulder to form a shield with a sword running through it. His pants had a pinstripe pattern and were set in place by cris-crossed leather belts. Attached to the belts was a holster for what she assumed was his weapon. She couldn't quite make it out, but she could see what looked to be a pommel and handle, encircled by a curved metal decoration with an electric blue slit on the inside.

In other words, a truly unremarkable human barely worth consideration.

The student saw Shizu's face and his arrogant demeanor was replaced by a look of adoration and lust. A cherry pink hue touched his cheeks, taken in by her unearthly beauty before he quickly regained himself. A cool smile, reminiscent to Demiurge's grin, appeared on his lips. He leaned in, a hand on his hip.

"Aren't you a little young to be here, little miss?" he asked smoothly.

Shizu stared at him impassively. She was well aware that her young appearance and looks had made her appear to be younger than everyone else present. And in a manner of speaking, they were correct. Shizu was half a decade old. The oldest NPC she could think of in Nazarick had to be Sebas Tian, who was one of the first NPCs to be designed. He had been around since the founding of Lord Ainz's guild, _Ainz Ooal Gown_. By that logic, he was perhaps eight or nine years old.

"...perhaps." Shizu conceded to the point. "But I am old enough." She tilted her head, sizing the human in front of her up. He looked quite unassuming and painfully average. Hardly worth mentioning. Absolutely nothing like what she would expect from a child that could match the teachers like what Supreme Being Yamaiko dealt with on a daily basis. "Who are you?"

"Ah, where are my manners!" In a rather flamboyant manner, the student lowered into a bow, hand on his chest and leg pulled back. "I am Roy Al Lint! It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, little miss. I am a second-year at this prestigious Academy, here to greet my future underlcassmen. Charmed, I'm sure!"

Second year? Hm, perhaps re-evaluation was required.

"Might I have your name, _mademoiselle?_"

_That is French_. Shizu recognized the language spoken, despite being more familiar with Japanese and English. It seemed that multiple languages were spoken, but English seemed to be the dominant or universal language.

"...Shizu." she replied and reiterated. "What do you want?"

"Well, as I said, I wanted to greet the initiates!"

"...I see."

Roy opened his mouth to continue speaking, but Shizu was already moving. She didn't want to engage in further conversation. It was a waste of time, even if he was her upperclassmen. Besides, chances are, she would get to see his combat capabilities sometime later.

Now, where was the opening ceremony…?

* * *

"...well, I can say with certainty that I've never heard of this being before. At least, not in my lifetime. Or any, really."

"So, you've never heard of this thing, Oz?"

"No, I have not. And that is what worries me."

To say that he was stupefied would be an understatement. Raven had finished her tale. Throughout the whole thing, Qrow had given her the stink-eye. It was no secret that he disapproved of his former family. Hearing how they were willing to target a small village, especially when Raven admitted it wasn't worth much in the long run, probably didn't help matters. It was only when she mentioned this rotting armored knight and this Ainz Ooal Gown creature that Qrow changed his tune.

"We sure it wasn't some kind of new Grimm?" Qrow asked, still skeptical. "I mean, for all we know, Salem probably cooked up something new."

Raven narrowed her eyes at her brother, rounding on him with a scowl present. "And how do you explain that "Death Knight" monster Ainz Ooal Gown sent after us? It sure as hell didn't look anything like a Grimm. No black body, no mask. _Nothing_. And since when can Grimm use magic, huh?"

"Oh, don't get your panties in a twist, sis."

Ozpin sighed. What were they, children? "Enough. Both of you." Very rarely would he raise his voice, or assert his authority. Given the situation, however, hearing him speak in such a manner was natural. The Branwens ceased their squabble and looked away from each other. "Raven… You're certain that this Ainz Ooal Gown creature was not a Grimm?"

"_Quite_. Unless Grimm learned how to talk." Raven huffed. "But the magic it used...it was different from how my own magic works."

Qrow scoffed and muttered something underneath his breath. Ozpin had a good idea what it was, but said nothing. He was disappointed that Raven would stoop to the levels she did, but he considered her the lesser of two evils. That, and she was willing to work with him again, in spite of her own feelings.

He was curious about the existence of this creature. In all the time he had been around, he had never heard of such a being before. It surely could not have been a Grimm. They were, in a sense, a product of magic. Born from the spawning pools crafted by the God of Darkness. And even if it was some sort of new Grimm, why would Salem make it now? Surely, she could have done so at any other time. Or, perhaps, she didn't have that opportunity until now.

The more Ozpin thought about it, the more uncertain he became.

"It tried to do something when it grabbed me. My body felt like it was on fire. And then it tried to kill me the same way it did to Vernal. Bastard could crush your heart without even touching you." Raven described the morbid and disturbing ways the monster had killed her tribe. The magic they used often varied, but Ozpin knew that they could not use it in the way this monster could. "I don't know how I survived it, but… Christ, I felt like my heart was about to explode."

"I see..."

Qrow shook his head. "Okay, so if this thing does exist...what do we do? Track it down?"

"Do you _want_ to die?" Raven gave Qrow an odd look. It took Ozpin by surprise, but he remained quiet. "Because I can tell you right now, probably nothing short of Ironwood and all of Atlas is going to kill that son of a bitch."

"Be that as it may, Qrow does have a point. It would be better for us to keep an eye on this...Ainz Ooal Gown creature. It is better to be safe than sorry." He then took out his pocketwatch and grimaced. "If you two will excuse me, I have an opening ceremony to conduct."

Qrow snickered. "Ever think about retiring and just leave things to Glynda?" he joked. Ozpin rolled his eyes and stood up, nodding his head to the two as he left. Once he disappeared into the elevator, the man looked at Raven. "So…"

"Whatever it is you're going to say, don't." Raven silenced him quickly with a sharp glare. "I'm only doing this because I don't have a choice. In case I haven't made it clear, I don't trust Ozpin."

"Because, what? He's been around for centuries? Because he's got no choice but to rely on kids fighting his battles for him?"

"Believe what you want, little brother."

Raven turned on her heel and opened a window. Before she could leave, Qrow called out to her. "I know you don't trust Oz, Raven." he said, face somber. "But...for what it's worth, I'm happy your back. I think Summer would be too."

Raven's hands shook, bangs obscuring her eyes. "...no, she wouldn't." She leaped out and her body shrunk, becoming a bird in mid-air, taking off high into the sky.

Qrow sighed. He took out his flask and unscrewed the cap, bringing it to his lips. "This is going to be fun. Oh, _so_ much fun..."

* * *

It took a bit of wandering around, but Velvet had eventually managed to find the entrance hall. It was already crowded to the point where people were shoving each other. It was like staring at a daunting chasm that she really didn't want to jump over. If she tried to squeeze in, she could end up getting smothered or elbowed or kicked. It had happened to her before during rush hour in the cafeteria at her old school.

Not very fun times to recall, especially since she remembered all the times someone had accidentally grabbed her ears when they were about to fall and had to grab on to something.

She glanced at the back of the large crowd, hoping that there would be a seat for her somewhere. To her dismay, it seemed that most of the seats had already been taken. The rest were being crowded around, making it difficult for anyone to try and sneak in and take the spot for themselves.

"Why does it have to be so crowded…?" Velvet whined to herself. Her only choice would be to get swallowed by the crowd and hope she didn't get beat up too badly. She had to prepare herself, both physically and mentally.

As she psyched herself up, she suddenly let out a shrill shriek when two slender fingers poked her waist, causing her to jump three feet into the air. "Nice hips, girl. Looks like you've been growing up nicely!"

Velvet didn't even need to turn around to see who had poked her. The teasing tone in the woman's voice told her everything.

"C-Coco! I told you to stop doing that!"

"Aw, but why?" Coco Adel questioned with a Cheshire-like grin.

This was Velvet's pen pal since she graduated from elementary school. Even when she was still a child, many would agree she was attractive, and as the years went on, she became a gorgeous knockout. Chin-length dark-brown hair with a wavy style done on the right side of her face, dyed in a gradient caramel color as it went down to the tips and matching brown eyes, often hidden behind a pair of snazzy sunglasses. In a few letters, Coco had stated that she cared deeply about her looks as much as she did about her combat ability. Thanks to her parents offering her more allowance than what kids her age should have gotten, she was able to purchase high-end products that made her skin silky smooth and soft with a healthy sheen. It also helped make the boys drool after her, despite Coco turning down every person that asked her out.

It wasn't just looks, either. Coco had even purchased clothes with price tags that would make someone's eyes bulge in shock. The girl also fashioned herself an expert in clothing, and the photos showed that she backed up her words. Her current attire already bolstered her good looks, wearing a long, cocoa-colored shirt with a dark brown waist cincher. With it were long, dark brown trousers with ribbons on the left side and a brown belt, loaded with ammunition. Above it, she wore another cocoa-colored belt of cartridges with a gold crosshairs buckle. Topping the outfit off were a pair of dark brown, high-heeled leather boots with buckles.

To further add eccentricity to her stunning attire, Coco wore numerous accessories, such as a bracelet with black roses as decoration. Accompanying these were black gloves and necklaces. Atop her head was a dark beret, which was slightly uneven as it sat lopsided.

Off to the side, Velvet noticed quite a few boys stopping what they were doing and look in with barely-concealed interest. A few more brazen ones let out whistles and low whoops, making her groan. She hated boys who were so transparent. All they cared about was looks, not what was inside.

"You _know_ I hate it when you do that!" Velvet insisted to her friend, puffing her cheeks.

Coco laughed boisterously. "Okay, okay. I'll cut down on the teasing, my cute little rabbit." Velvet fumed. Oh, how she hated it when Coco called her that! It made her feel uneasy when others called her that, but when Coco did it, she couldn't help but feel a flare of annoyance. Most likely because she knew full well that Coco said it in a manner that would get a rise out of her. "Anyway, it's great to see you, Vel. It's been, what? A year? Two years?"

"Something like that. I think the last time we saw each other was that field trip to the Forever Fall."

"That was the trip that turned into a shit show 'cause of the Lancer infestation, right? Ugh, that totally sucked. Took me weeks to get the stink of tree sap out of my hair!"

The girls quieted down when they noticed everyone cease their own conversations, taking their seats. Coco had managed to somehow scout out a spot for the both of them and led her to it, giving apologies to people she rudely bumped into. Once they sat down, Velvet saw a man dressed in a black suit step out into view, a cane in one hand and a mug in the other.

_Wait, mug_?

That was...rather informal. She would have expected someone like this to be more professional, but judging by the troubled look on his face, she assumed he needed it.

This person was Ozpin. The Headmaster of Beacon Academy.

He tapped the microphone on the stage, testing to see if it worked. When feedback came in nice and clear, he cleared his throat and began to speak. Everyone listened with rapt attention.

"Hello, everyone. And welcome to Beacon Academy. I am Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of this esteemed facility. Allow me to be the first to welcome you here, both for those who have come in pursuit of knowledge and those who have come in pursuit of strength. Some of you have chosen to come to Vale from places such as Atlas, Mistral and Vacuo. You are all welcome here...is what I would like to say, but as you all know, you are not students at this school _yet_."

Indeed not. Everyone present before him were people who applied to Beacon. While they had gained a letter of acceptance, it was more like an invitation to come test their skills. If they impressed the teachers and scored brilliant marks, then they would be welcomed with open arms. The rest would just be turned away and have to try their hands again another time. Taking a quick look around, Velvet had noticed that some people in attendance were slightly older than her and Coco. There were even a few adults present.

"I say student, but there are some of you here who wish to participate in the Huntsman Exam being held this year as well." Ozpin continued. "This year, we are holding Initiation with the Huntsman Exam, meaning both those who wish to enroll at this academy and those who wish to obtain their license will be together throughout this short time. The reason we've done this is because we wish for the newer generation to learn from the old generation. People who have obtained experience and have something to teach to you all.. With that in mind, I would like to introduce to you the proctor for your exam."

He stepped aside, as if to let someone else take the stage. Velvet saw a rather shabby looking man step out onto the stage, his hair a mess and his posture utterly lax. She didn't recognize him, but she saw how alert his eyes were, scanning the crowd as if looking for something out of place.

Beside her, Coco wrinkled her nose. "Nice fashion sense, but terrible hygiene." she muttered in distaste. "Who is this guy? And why the hell does he have a flask on him?"

Despite the fact that he was addressing what could be the newest students of Beacon and future Huntsmen, the man took a quick sip of the flask in his hand, eliciting a few glares before he screwed the cap back on.

When he spoke, Velvet could tell that this person just didn't give a damn.

"Sup." he raised a hand lamely in greeting, not caring about the fact that he had alienated more than a few people. "The name's Qrow. And come tomorrow, I'll be in charge of seeing who stays and who gets the boot. I'll keep things short and simple for you all."

Velvet choked.

_Qrow Branwen_. A member of Team STRQ. Several years ago, this team had made waves all across Remnant, famed for their exploits and talents and adventures. Many had called them the second coming of the Grim Reaper. But for whatever reason, Team STRQ had ultimately disbanded. The team leader was reported to have died on a mission, leaving her teammate and husband to raise their two daughters. Another had left and established some notoriety by becoming an infamous bandit. Qrow Branwen, as far as she knew, was the only active member of STRQ.

When her mother told her stories about them, she had to admit, some of the wonder died when she saw Qrow in person. How in the world could such a person be one of the best Huntsman in the Kingdom?

Perhaps she would find out.

"Initiation for applicants of the school will be held in one of the training stages here." Qrow explained how things would work. "It's pretty simple. You'll be beating the shit out of each other until only a couple of you guys are left standing. In other words, one big free for all, where anything's game. Before any of you say that this is unfair, how Initiation works is up to the proctors. If you guys had Goodwitch, you'd be sent out into the Emerald Forest, looking for relics to bring back. But you guys got me, and guess what? I say you kids need to kick each other's asses and show me you got what it takes."

Velvet took another look around the room. Some were eager about how Initiation would work while others seemed less than pleased. Others like her were intimidated. Fighting against this many people all at once? Suddenly, Velvet felt like she should try her hand at Beacon another year. She didn't know if she could hold up to everybody else. Yes, she did have combat experience, even some live field experience due to the aforementioned Forever Fall incident, but she was going to be fighting against actual people. People with diverse fighting styles and abilities.

True, it would be an excellent opportunity to gather data and help improve her own techniques, but against so many people…

Coco gave her hand a squeeze, offering the poor Faunus a reassuring smile. "Hey, it'll be fine." she promised her. "Don't worry."

"As for those of you here who want to take the Huntsman Exam, you old timers will be sparring with me and two other members of Beacon's faculty." Somehow, this earned more outrage from the adults than the teenagers. Something that made Qrow's day if the grin on his face meant anything. "To keep things fair, the Headmaster won't be competing. But before any of you start asking, no. I ain't gonna hold back. Either you got what it takes to become a Huntsman and fight the Grimm, or you can go back to training. Make your choice, boys."

With his piece said, Qrow stepped back and whipped out his flask again. Shaking his head at his colleague's antics, Ozpin walked back up to the microphone. "All of you will be gathering in the ballroom. I'm sure many of you are exhausted from the long trip. Tonight, rest. And tomorrow, ready yourselves. By this time tomorrow, we will see who is welcome here and learn to become the defenders of our world and who will step up to the plate as Huntsmen."

Unlike before, were there was some anger and dismay, there was now excitement that charged the air. It was an incredible change, one that Velvet didn't mind. Even she felt enthusiastic by this.

She only hoped she could continue to feel like this, all the way until Initiation.

_**2**_

When the humans and demihumans were all corralled into the ballroom, which was one-third the size of the Throne Room, she had chosen to find the place least likely for someone to approach her. That was to say, near the far end of the room, tucked neatly away in a corner where she would not be bothered. By observation, only a few people had chosen to gather here. The rest either congregated in the middle or by the windows for whatever reasons.

Though she was expected to make human relationships, Shizu was unsure whether or not she could successfully acclimate to this sort of environment. It was a drastic change for her. She was used to interacting with her sisters in the Pleiades, the homonculus workers and the Floor Guardians. She did not know how to interact with humans, especially when she knew next to nothing about them at all. They were strangers who acted irrationally. With her sisters and colleagues, she knew how they acted and what to expect. She could form proper responses and talk with them how she would with anyone else she held close, like her creator. But these were not them. They acted based on emotions and illogical thoughts.

That was why Shizu delayed contact with them for as long as possible. She would attempt to integrate herself as best she could when she was presented an ample opportunity, but for now, she wished for solitude.

Taking a look around, the automaton found the surrounding area to be scarce. Pleased with this, she took out the device that Lord Ainz and Lord Demiurge had managed to procure for everyone in the Great Tomb of Nazarick. It was a communication device called a Scroll, though it served little use outside of camouflage. They were inactive and unregistered, making their use a bit risky. Even so, Lord Ainz had given them these items with the intent that they would be using them for future use, once he had accomplished his own tasks.

Under the idea that she was calling someone, Shizu opened the Scroll by separating the two metal grips from each other, creating a blank holographic screen. Then, she used [Message].

The connection was almost immediate. [Hello, Shizu!] the cheery voice of Entoma, her fellow sister in the Pleiades and rival for the position of "younger sister" greeted her happily. [To what do I owe the pleasure?]

"...I wanted someone to talk to." Shizu confessed to her. "I feel uncomfortable with the humans. Too many."

[I understand. I pity you for being stuck with a troublesome task.] Entoma said sincerely. [If they cause any trouble for you, you can always ask us to help you out!]

"...no need. Lord Ainz entrusted me with this task, and I will fulfill it. Also, there is a report I would like to give to Lord Ainz."

[...please wait a moment, Shizu.] There was a prolonged moment of silence before Entoma answered her again. [Please deliver your report.]

"The Headmaster of Beacon Academy has under his employ a man by the name of Qrow Branwen. I do not know if he has any affiliation with Raven Branwen. However, they share similar features. If possible, I will conduct an investigation on this person."

Rather than Entoma, a different voice – deep and hoarse – spoke. [That was rather quick. Well done, CZ Delta.]

Shizu's expression didn't change, but her eye glowed with rapturous wonder. "...thank you, Lord Ainz."

[Continue with your work, Delta. What you're doing is very important.] Ainz told her and memorized his words, treating them as if they were law. [Oh, and be sure to use your skill to record the use of any abilities the other applicants may demonstrate. I'd like to determine how different a semblance is from magic.]

"...understood."

Shizu thought that would be the end of her report. The connection was still ongoing, but Ainz was silent for a good long while before her lord spoke again, this time sounding rather worried. [By the way, Shizu… What is the school like?]

She tilted her head at his inquiry. Did he believe that there could be a threat here? Was he concerned about her safety? That particular thought brought some warmth to her chest. "...there are no threats that I can discern. If anything does happen, I shall retreat and report back."

[No, that wasn't what I…] Ainz sighed. [No, nevermind. Just do your best, alright?]

"Yes, Lord Ainz."

The connection faded and Shizu closed her scroll, no longer having any need for her cover. She was about to stash it away when she felt someone approaching her. Two people. Glancing up, she found a human girl wearing sunglasses atop her hair and the bunny demihuman from earlier today making their way toward her. Based on their expressions, the human girl seemed excited about something and was looking directly her way while the demihuman was embarrassed.

Were they going to attempt to converse with her? What would be the appropriate course of action in this instance? Should she prefer to be by herself? No, that wasn't ideal. She would have to interact with the other students in some capacity. Perhaps she could use these two as an experiment. Ah, but conversations required topics to discuss. What could she discuss with them?

Perhaps the demihuman's adorable ears?

"Hey there!" the human girl greeted, raising a two-fingered salute. "What'cha doin' by yourself, kiddo?"

"Coco!" the demihuman bemoaned, her ears drooping. Shizu had to resist touching them. She must resist with all her might. Wait, did she remove the sticker? Drat! "Can't you see she wants to be by herself?"

"Vel, we have _got_ to work on you and your social skills. Haven't you heard the saying, strangers are just friends you've never met yet?"

Was there a saying like that? Perhaps it was something in this world?

Velvet could only sigh in defeat while Coco grinned before she turned back to Shizu. "So, back to you. I'm Coco Adel, and the adorable rabbit behind me is Velvet Scarlatina. What's your name?"

"...Shizu." the maid answered. "Shizu Obsidian."

"Shizu?" Velvet asked. "Isn't that Mistralian for 'quiet'?"

That was one of the meanings behind the name, from what she knew. However, her official name was CZ2128 Delta. She would have addressed herself as simply "Shizu" since it was how her creator often referred to her as, but Remnant seemed to follow a "color naming rule." As to why that was, she did not know. In order to bring her here to gather intelligence, Lord Ainz had worked to get her a false identity in this world, courtesy of shady dealings with Mistral's criminal underground network.

"Shizu Obsidian" was the niece of a merchant, coinciding with the fabricated story Lord Ainz had created for Solution Epsilon. She had been trained at an early age in combat, but due to family complications, she could not unlock her aura. Her parents had disappeared during a Grimm attack on her home village, and was taken in by her uncle. He worked hard to get her a chance to attend here, under the idea that she could live out her childhood dream.

It was a well thought-out idea, one where Lord Ainz had left nothing to chance. He spent countless days fabricating this story, and ensured that it was as believable as possible.

Truly, there was nothing her lord and master was capable of.

"Well, weird name aside, back to my question. What are you doing here by yourself, girl?"

"...I prefer being alone." Shizu answered honestly. "I want to focus on Initiation tomorrow."

Velvet gave Coco a flat look. "Told you. Everyone's focusing on tomorrow! Especially since we're going to be graded by Qrow Branwen of all people!"

"Still don't see what the big deal is."

"Coco, Qrow Branwen is one of the best Huntsman in Vale." Shizu perked up at hearing this. Her first day here, and already she was receiving valuable information? A stroke of good fortune. "He was a member of Team STRQ! You know, the team from all those years ago who took down an entire horde of Elder Grimm in the Grimmlands?"

"That was an exaggeration." Coco deadpanned, not believing a word of this talk as she put a hand to her hip. "I mean, Elder Grimm aren't a joke. Especially the ones that have been around for like, what? A century?"

The demihuman sighed. "Their exploits are _recorded_, Coco. There's actual online proof. You'd know these things if you looked up something other than designer clothes. Speaking of which, why do you have so many suitcases full of clothes?!"

"Well, what else am I gonna do if I get my threads damaged?"

So, Team STRQ's exploits were common knowledge. That meant that she could gather intel on Qrow Branwen easily. This seemed like a good opportunity to know more.

_Oh, but what if they get suspicious if I'm ignorant?_ That could be a problem. If she just outright asked who Team STRQ was. Shizu was not about to jeopardize her mission before it even began, so perhaps a different tactic was needed. Maybe a few small questions. It seemed like the safest bet.

"...how strong is Branwen?"

Velvet pursed her lips. "From what I've heard, he's pretty strong. Since STRQ was disbanded, he's mostly worked solo. I hear he works directly under Professor Ozpin, but other than that, I don't really know."

"Actually, speaking of this guy, isn't his sister supposed to be a criminal?" Coco asked curiously. "What was her name? Sparrow?"

"Raven."

Shizu's eye widened at this. "Raven." The name of the woman that had escaped Lord Ainz. One of the few people he speculated that could utilize magic. What sort of crazy luck was this?

"And yeah, last I heard, she became a bandit in Mistral."

Coco sighed deeply. "Talk about a waste. I've seen pictures of her. She's a real beaut. And she goes and wastes her talents on, what? Turning to a life of crime? My ma used to talk about how in her day, Huntsmen were paragons and an example of what to be."

"Who knows what goes through people's heads?" Velvet shrugged before she turned to Shizu. "So, um… Shizu? What do you think Initiation is going to be like?"

Based on what she learned during the opening ceremony, Shizu believed that it would be quite difficult. By her estimate, there were going to be over 200 combatants that they would need to overcome. She didn't know what the rules behind Initiation were, or how strong the humans were, but Shizu was confident she could at least make it to being one of the last people standing.

She was not arrogant in her strength like some of the Pleiades were. Shizu knew that, when it came to fighting capability, the Battle Maids existed only to buy time for the Supreme Beings to plan a counter attack in the event raiders had managed to breach the depths of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Their combat ability, when compared to the Floor Guardians and the Forty-One Supreme Beings, was abysmal.

That said, Shizu was confident she could defeat more than enough humans to earn her place.

"...hard to say." she settled on saying. "We will be facing several students all at once. Some have looked like they have trained extensively."

Velvet whimpered. "I was afraid of that..."

"Oh, you'll be fine!" Coco assured her. "What's the worst that can happen?"

* * *

Roy Al Lint was destined for greatness. That was a fact. An indisputable fact, one that he reminded everyone he came across.

He was the only son of the chairman of the Vale Council. The head of nation affairs, and the man responsible for funding Beacon Academy's minor ventures, such as expeditions and training regiments. Roy was very proud of himself for his heritage, especially since his father had spared no expense in giving him the very best training. From the day he learned how to walk and talk, he had been given everything he could have ever wanted, from clothes to status. Every month, he received a hefty allowance of 10,000 lien. Far more than anything a meager civilian could ever hope to make in a year. He had requested that his clothes be personally designed, not deigning to clothe himself in ratty clothes fit for a pig.

If there was anything Roy did despise, it was the Faunus.

Especially those who had allied themselves with the White Fang.

In the beginning, the White Fang had just been a nuisance that was ignored. All they did was bark loudly, but they had never made any actual attempts to enforce their ideals. The closest thing they could do was try and broker a deal, but Roy knew that those deals never lasted for long. It was a personal hope of his that the White Fang would one day just fall to pieces or get arrested. Whichever came first. But when Sienna Khan had taken over, things had turned out of the worst. The nuisances had become a thorn in everybody's sides and needed to be taken out.

His father had advocated several times for the White Fang to be arrested for charges of terrorism, first-degree murder, kidnapping, destruction of public property and manslaughter. All crimes they were known to have committed under Khan's leadership. Yet each time, the proposals were shut down. It was when the White Fang had assaulted an assembly that Roy realized that he needed to step up to the plate.

If his father would be overturned, and if nobody was willing to take action, then it was up to him to discipline these filthy animals and show them their place.

There was, however, one problem. A A _glaring_ one at that.

Roy Al Lint possessed no combat ability.

He was worthless in battle. His private tutors had all given up on him. They had all realized that he could not fight. His swordsmanship was shoddy to the point where he may as well have been swinging a stick. His proficiency with a gun was piss-poor to the point that he missed every target. No matter how hard he tried, they had all told him the same thing.

He had no future as a Huntsman.

But they were wrong. They must be wrong. They HAD to be wrong. Roy was destined for greatness. He was the heir to his father's prestigious name, and he would make damn sure he would live up to his legacy. He would do whatever he must to prove he could do what others could not. He would prove them wrong.

His father shared his sentiments. In fact, his father had fired his teachers when they told him what they had told Roy, even going so far as to blacklist them for their treachery. When Roy was old enough, he had gone out of his way to forge documents to ensure he would be able to attend Beacon.

Roy had been slightly nervous when he heard about this plan. Ozpin was no fool. He had become the youngest Headmaster in recent history not because of his skills, but because he was smart. He had more than earned his position. But his father assured him that everything was fine. He knew something about Ozpin that no one else did. Some kind of secret that the man was desperate to hide. What it was, he never said. But it must have been very important if it could make the headmaster fold under pressure.

It was only by pure luck and his own status that he had managed to make it through his first year. He was now the leader of his own team, though they were all incompetent idiots, all jealous of his ability. They thought he didn't hear them whispering behind his back, mocking him and shooting glares at him.

One day, they'd understand.

If there had been one thing that infuriated Roy during his tenure here, it was the fact that someone like Ozpin was allowing _those filthy animals here!_

Faunus. Faunus everywhere. Enough to make him nauseous. He just didn't understand it. Surely someone as smart as that man should understand that these ingrates didn't belong here. They deserved to be locked in cages, just like how they were during the Dark Ages. Animals deserved to be put on leashes. They were all worthless. They should just leave and let the true heroes of the world fight the Grimm while they just remain what they are.

Just thinking about the Faunus was enough to make Roy livid. He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, attempting to calm down. He instead thought of something else. Something truly wonderful.

Like that Shizu girl.

"Ah..."

That pale skin. That long hair. That beautiful eye. Her slender form. Everything about her just brought forth a pleasant shiver the likes of which he had never felt before. He had seen many beautiful women, but none could hope to compare to Shizu. Her beauty was unearthly, as if she belonged to another world. Her expression was dull, but somehow, it added to her allure.

Roy's father once told him that, one day, he'd find a woman that would make his loins ache. A woman that was worth conquering.

He thought he had finally found her.

Roy Al Lint was in love. And nothing would stop him from claiming his prize.

* * *

Morning had arrived.

By the time Velvet and Coco were coherent enough to start moving around, Shizu was already wide-awake and preparing herself for the inevitable. The ballroom was charged with energy reminiscent to the Pleiades whenever Lord Ainz had come to grace them with his presence, despite the fact that they could not think of anything to speak with him about. Some had already retrieved their weapons and were performing maintenance on them. Others were making shows of strength, showing off their muscular forms and their weapons, some more intricate than others.

She wouldn't lie. If not for the fact that her rifle could easily wipe them all out, she would want to obtain one of those weapons. Such a fascinating design choice. Able to switch between a melee form and a firearm form. There was nothing like that in YGGDRASIL as far as she was aware. If there was, then the Forty-One Supreme Beings had yet to acquire such items. Perhaps, if she ever had the opportunity, she could procure one of those weapons for study and report her findings.

"Morning, Shizu." Coco greeted her after she had finished washing up. "How're you-WHAT IN THE HOLY HELL ARE YOU WEARING?!"

...what in the name of _Ainz Ooal Gown_ was that? Shizu tapped her ears, making sure they were still functioning properly. She looked at Coco, who looked cross between anger and shock. Her lungs were capable of such intensity? Amazing. This was definitely something worth noting. Still, what was she so shocked about? Studying her face, Shizu had reached the conclusion that she was looking at her clothes. The articles of clothing that had been graciously provided her by Lord Ainz himself, after receiving some council from Lady Shalltear.

"...is there something wrong?"

In the far back, Velvet's ears drooped in dismay. "Oh boy. I knew this was going to happen!"

"Is there something-of course there's something wrong!" Coco raged. "What is up with that outfit?!"

If there was one thing anyone needed to know about Coco Adel, it was that she took fashion seriously. It was almost to the point where she could honestly be considered to be the fashion police of Remnant. This was in no small part due to her relatives practically spoiling her rotten with fashion, running a high-end clothing store with top quality fabric and custom-made designs. Their influence had ultimately rubbed off on the girl, which led to her choosing her outfits wisely. She had even extended fashion advice to anyone who was willing to listen (read: she didn't give them a choice). Velvet's own outfit was made by Coco herself when she had asked for some advice on what to wear for Beacon's Initiation Exam.

Of course, fashion didn't mean much in way of armor. Unknown to most, Coco had also learned more than just fashion sense from her relatives. She had also learned how to infuse Dust into her clothes. Normally, Dust infusion was primarily meant to be used in way of offensive techniques.

One example was the leader of the recent alumnus Team SLVR, Simin Megistus. He was known for his care-free attitude, and his unpredictable fighting style. His jacket was armed with a system that switched Dust on the fly, infusing it into his clothes. Said jacket had allowed him to even utilize Dust by forging the surge of energy into weapons, hence leading to his unpredictable fighting style. With Ice Dust, he wielded twin blades and with Fire Dust, a large broadsword.

Coco's usage of Dust was more defensive. Using Earth Dust, mixed partially with Gravity Dust to keep the fabric and the modified woven strands laced with the aforementioned Earth Dust together, the result was a very tough-to-tear material.

Of course, mixing Dust was very dangerous. It often required supervision in order to prevent someone from causing an explosion. The severity of said explosion often depended on the materials in question. Since Coco was just infusing Dust into her clothes, the process was relatively safe, but still required careful handling. Worst case, she'd have to worry about her clothes disintegrating or being set on fire.

Still, Coco had standards when it came to her clothes, whether they were Dust infused or not. In her eyes, Shizu's choice of clothes were horrible and deserved to be burned on the spot.

The girl in question, however, did not realize this. She tilted her head, eliciting a few flustered and awed expressions as a result. "...what is wrong with my outfit?"

"Everything!" Coco said, flustered. "Where the hell did you even get those clothes? They clash worse than a Grimm being splattered with hot flamingo pink paint! I mean, don't get me wrong, the scarf goes great with those jeans, but that _jacket_? And don't get me started on the shirt!" She lowered her sunglasses and gave Shizu a sharp glare. "You. Me. Vale. Shopping. When Initiation is over, I'm _so_ fixing your wardrobe."

There was nothing to fix. There was nothing wrong with her clothes. In fact, Shizu honestly felt angered by Coco's blatant accusations. While she didn't understand much about fashion, these clothes had been graciously provided to her by the Supreme Being and Lady Shalltear.

It would be a cold day in hell before she would dare let a lower life-form ruin them. She returned Coco's glare with one of her own, crosshairs sharpening and narrowing as if zeroing in on her target.

"...hands off the threads."

Coco bristled. Velvet face-palmed.

CZ Delta had just made a declaration of war.

* * *

Before Initiation began, the Huntsman Exam had been held in the Emerald Forest. It was a short affair, far shorter than what Ozpin had been expecting. Usually, whenever the exam was held, the event lasted for up to five or six hours depending on the applicants, some of which were veterans who were pretending to be applicants in order to test the new recruits and gauge them and such. This year must have been slim pickings.

The exam was over in two hours, record time, courtesy of Qrow Branwen showing them utterly no mercy whatsoever.

"Qrow is in fine form today." Ozpin said sincerely as he took a quick drink from his coffee mug, savoring the wonderful taste of chocolate flooding his taste buds. Exactly what he needed to get him through the morning. And Initiation. "I haven't seen him this fired up since when he was still a student."

"Be that as it may," the woman next to Ozpin cut in with a stern tone. "I wish he wouldn't drink in the middle of an exam."

"Come now, Glynda. It's how he keeps his nerves calm."

"Do you honestly believe that?"

He drank his hot cocoa in response.

The woman was Glynda Goodwitch, Deputy Headmistress and his second-in-command. A beautiful woman that was in her mid-to-late twenties, golden blond hair tied back into a bun and green eyes brimming with intelligence. She was a prodigy that surpassed even him, and her proficiency with her semblance was second to none. Of course, her skills in combat were matched only by her strict, no-nonsense teaching method.

Her students called her "the Wicked Witch of Beacon."

Ozpin valued her not just because of her excellent abilities, but also because she was not afraid to speak her mind. Whenever he had made a decision that even he found himself concerned with or doubting, she would always give him an honest opinion. Sometimes her words would be brutal, other times she'd be understanding. Such honesty and thoughtfulness were a rarity in people like her in this day and age, and he was glad he was able to have scouted her.

Ozpin surveyed the recording on his Scroll, watching with some amusement of how Qrow's semblance had ultimately dispatched the last of the applicants in a rather humiliating way before he closed it and turned on his heel, making his way back towards the school.

"Are you going?"

He nodded. "Yes. I hate to ask this, but could you take care of the rest from here? Initiation is going to begin soon."

"Of course, Headmaster."

"Thank you, Glynda."

He had an odd feeling that he didn't want to miss this year's batch of applicants. He was not entirely sure of the reason why, but he just had that feeling.

_**3**_

The arena was roughly about the size of the Sixth Floor arena guarded by the Floor Guardians Aura and Mare. The platform was circular and quite spacious, easily having enough room to allow over a hundred people to fight all over the place. Surrounding the platform were the stands, wrapping around it in a circle. It was hauntingly empty, with only a few individuals being seated.

By Shizu's own estimations, these people must have been the teachers assigned to grading them.

_The fighting is going to begin soon._ Shizu thought as she held her rifle. Despite the circumstances, she didn't feel pressured, threatened or anxious. Instead, she looked forward to observing the fighting capabilities of her fellow applicants. _My duty is to collect data on the combat abilities and skills of these people. Lord Ainz has especially asked me to record any and all usage of their semblances. _

She was a little curious herself, but she put her personal feelings aside. The order of the Supreme Being came first.

They did not have to wait long for Initiation to begin. Ozpin had arrived shortly, addressing them in a clear manner, still holding a coffee mug and with a look of anticipation. He no doubt had high hopes for everyone present.

"I'm glad to see that you all have rested. And by the look of things, you're all itching for a fight. But before we begin Initiation, I must explain a few things. First, I'm sure many of you might be curious as to why we're holding Initiation here in the arena rather than at the Emerald Forest, as we do every year. Since we're holding the Huntsman License Exam this year also, we decided a good shake-up was in order. With that out of the way, let us discuss how Initiation will be held.

"The rules are simple. You have approximately three hours to defeat one another until only forty of you are left standing. You are allowed to fight with whatever means you deem fit. After all, while you may be training to become Huntsmen and Huntresses to defeat the Grimm, do not forget that you will often be asked to face human foes. That said, if your foe submits and surrenders, they will be disqualified and removed from the arena immediately. If your aura falls into the red, you may continue to fight as you wish, but once your aura is depleted, you will be removed from the arena. Lastly, anyone who is thrown out of the arena will be automatically disqualified."

Finished with his explanation, Ozpin took another drink from his mug before speaking again. "So, any questions?" No one opened their mouths or raised their hands. Instead, all he received were the sound of weapons being primed for combat. He smiled. "Good! Take your stances."

The two hundred applicants for Beacon Academy spaced themselves around the arena. The large electronic screen behind Ozpin stuttered before it showed a countdown. Shizu watched it descend before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, offering a prayer to Lord Ainz before she opened her eye again.

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

_Zero._

The fighting began as soon as the buzzer went off. By some strange set of circumstances, it was Shizu who struck the first blow.

By slamming the butt of her rifle into an applicant's nose as if she were swinging a bat, sending them flying through the air.

* * *

Ozpin blinked.

"...oh my god, I love that girl." Qrow said with a grin, watching the first casualty of Initiation get thrown out of the arena and smack straight into the wall, sticking to it for a hot second before he fell to the floor in a heap. "Did you see that? Haha! She used her own weapon as a _bat_! Oh, I love this year's Initiation already."

Glynda groaned. "Of course you would."

"I'm more impressed by that girl's form!" a portly man with a mustache chimed. "Did you see that swing?! Fine form! I dare say that was a home run!"

Ozpin rolled his eyes at the eccentricity of his staff and co-workers. Still, he did have to agree that what the girl wearing the eyepatch did was impressive. Being able to knock someone out from the wing with one swing, much less leave them stuck in a wall for a hot minute, was not an easy feat unless you were quite strong. She must have possessed either an incredible semblance or had impressive strength. Either way, Ozpin now understood the gut feeling he had.

This year's initiation was going to be interesting indeed.

* * *

After Shizu struck first blood, the shock and awe of the situation faded. Shortly afterwards, the arena descended into chaos. People were being struck and thrown and tossed aside left and right. In the midst of this chaos was Coco Adel, moving back and forth to avoid stray gunfire and swings from weapons. She must have been somewhere in the middle of the arena because she could no longer see the edge. Not that she could, with so many people swarming her vision.

"This looks like a good place to get wild!" She pressed the button hidden inside her handle. In the next moment, her bag unfurled, separating into several different pieces, some larger than the bag should have been before they all pieced together. Long tubes extended out from inside the transforming handbag, packed together and held in place by metal bands wrapping around them.

What was once a meager accessory had become a giant gatling gun.

The people in her line of fire noticed this and paled. She smirked and pulled the trigger.

A steady stream of bullets came raining down, tearing through aura in an instant. The swift barrage was quickly bringing down anyone with weak Aura. Some who couldn't pull themselves out of the way quickly found their Auras in the red.

Two applicants managed to escape the barrage of fire. They came rushing at her with the intent of getting revenge. One sported a battle ax, and another was wielding a spear. And they had terrible fashion sense.

Coco had no qualms about kicking the shit out of them.

Without stopping her barrage, Coco spun to avoid the battle ax coming down on her head, letting it hit the spot where she stood. As she spun, the barrage swept across the arena and hit around and everyone in the line of fire before she slammed it into the spear-user's stomach, giving him a point-blank barrage. He was stuck on the muzzle for a few seconds before he was thrown straight into his temporary ally, knocking into a few other applicants.

Before Coco could continue her rampage, a shadow descended upon her. Without even looking, she spun her weapon over her shoulder and pulled the trigger again, going for a short burst. The sneak attack failed and her assailant received a face-full of bullets, landing harshly on the floor and in a groaning mess.

"Three down~" Coco tracked her kills with a grin before taking a quick look around. It was hard to find anyone in this chaos, but she could faintly see what looked like a pair of bunny ears somewhere. "There's Vel. Hope she's doin-"

Someone bumped into her. Frowning, she turned and was about to pump them with led before she found a chakram being sent her way. She ducked and evaded. Those in the chakram's path were less fortunate, as they were caught on the blade and flew away with it. It soared through the air like a boomerang before it was caught by her newest foe, body rippling with muscle and wearing a rather spiffy pair of shades and rocking quite the six pack.

Shame about his poor choice of pants, though.

Coco aimed her weapon. Before she could engage, someone held out something to her. Looking down, it was her barrette. "When did…?"

"Here." a smooth voice said. "You dropped this." She looked at the person who bumped into her. Dark skin, red hair and his eyes were...white. Not just the sclera, but even the irises. Actually, they seemed to lack any luster or reflection. No color at all.

'_Is he blind?'_ Coco thought curiously, but thanked him nonetheless and took her barrette back from him, setting it back on her head.

Growing tired of waiting, the chakram wielder charged with the intent of slicing her in half. Coco defended with her gatling gun, the tubes screeching against the sharp edge of the curved ring before she was forced back. Skidding to a stop, she tried to shoot him down but the applicant spun his chakram around, creating a makeshift shield in front of him.

Deciding to get creative, Coco dug into her pants pocket. Inside was a small red crystal, glittering in the light. It was just some spare Dust, so Coco wasn't really wasting valuable resources with this. The applicant threw his chakram at her again, this time having it act like a sawblade as it carved up the arena floor. Coco was about to dodge, but to her surprise, the red head from earlier swiftly moved in and defended her with his own weapons:

Despite his lithe frame, there was muscle on those skinny arms, easily matched by the sharp orange-red blades on his arms. They were interlocked, grinding against the circular blade in front of him. Though it was slowly pushing him back, the red head was putting up incredible defense and, with a look of utter cool indifference, pushed it back, sending it back to its owner. The applicant panicked and fumbled as it tried to catch his own weapon while avoiding being cut in half.

Coco took advantage of the situation and threw the Dust crystal at her target, then let loose. In the next second, a fiery explosion reared its ugly head at his feet, knocking him into the air and leaving him open for a video game-esque move where Coco practically juggled him in the air with her weapon. To her mild disappointment, she ran out of bullets. The applicant started to fall, but the red head surprised her again and jumped forward, forming a straight arrow kick with such limber movement a gymnast would be envious.

His foot struck the applicant's abdomen and sent him flying. Hilariously, the applicant knocked into a clustered group and bounced right off of them, falling further out and face-planted outside the arena boundary.

Coco whistled as she quickly slipped in a new belt of bullets. "Nice job, guy." she said in earnest praise. Sure, his attire left a little to be desired...but damn did he fine backside. His pants were practically hugging every part of his lower body. Idly, she wondered if that meant the pants got too tight when pitching a tent. "Got a name?"

"Fox." her new ally answered in a quiet voice. "You?"

"Coco. So, you wanna team up and start kicking ass?"

Fox smiled.

* * *

Whereas Coco had been doing quite well for herself, Velvet wasn't having much luck. She was continuously trying to avoid conflict altogether, her small and slender frame providing her excellent movement to avoid attacks from all over. This was insane. So many people were just going at it! She thought that, by now, they'd be down to half, but everyone was still beating the crap out of each other like there was no tomorrow. There was still over a hundred people left, and they were all firing bullets and swinging weapons all over the place.

_This is crazy!_ Velvet thought in dismay, falling to her knees to avoid an incoming swing from what looked like a hammer. _Why couldn't Initiation have been in the Emerald Forest like it usually is?! I can't fight in someplace crowded like this!'_

Theoretically, Velvet could fight in such a crowded space. In fact, there was no question of her abilities. Despite her rather shy personality, she was graded at the top of her physicals. In terms of academics, she was maybe in the middle-range, but Velvet's physical skills, in addition to her semblance and weapon, complimented each other. She was not on the same level as her mother, a retired Huntress, but she was still competent. She could handle herself in a fight. If she had any flaws, it was her hesitance to utilize her weapon, which was still in the process of getting the kinks out.

However, despite her ability to fight, the staggering number of people she would face was a huge detractor. The odds of her weapon fizzing out would be extraordinarily high, and there was the fact that the items it produced wouldn't last very long. At best, Velvet had about thirty different items her weapon could produce, each lasting about fifteen to twenty hits each. They were rather fragile that way.

This led to her dilemma. There were over 200 people. At best, she could take out a few dozen before she ran out of steam, and that was assuming she could break through their aura in a few hits. Everyone was going all out, and their equipment was frankly intimidating to see in full force. So far, she saw a few people showing off their semblances, which helped contribute to the non-lethal culling of their foes. The number was quickly diminishing, but even so, she was unsure if she could manage to outlast the competition.

So lost in thought was Velvet that she didn't notice someone sneaking up behind her. The applicant, a bit on the scrawny side but sporting a thuggish face, narrowed his eyes sharply as he prepared to assault her with his twin sabers. He had been scraping by and had taken a few serious blows, meaning his Aura was close to the red zone. If he took any more hits, he would surely be eliminated. It was best to weed out the weakest, so he'd have less trouble. There was also a selfish reason for targeting Velvet Scarlatina.

He despised the Faunus.

There was no rhyme or reason to it. He had no actual reason to hate them, except the fact that he could. The mere sight of these people disgusted him. Looking at her rabbit ears made the applicant want to cut them off.

He licked his lips and prepared to strike. She was so vulnerable right now. One strike would probably take her out. He reared his arms back, intent on going in for a stabbing motion and would follow up with a kick to the leg so she wouldn't be able to defend the next blow-

–and found his face being caved in by the flat end of a giant orange blade. His body was sent flying and landed outside the arena, comically landing on his face.

Velvet blinked and turned around, meeting her apparent savior and squawking at the mere sight of him. It was like a child standing in front of an adult, and this adult was _ripped_. His muscles, seemingly carved from stone, were well-restrained by his pale green tunic that was coated in armor. In hand was a giant blade, held with incredible ease like it weighted next to nothing to him. His face was neutral, skin the color of mocha and eyes narrow.

"Are you alright?" Despite his imposing form, his voice was soft. There was strength behind it, and it matched his form, but he spoke with surprising tender care.

Velvet nodded dumbly, mumbling a thanks.

The young man nodded. "I am Yatsuhashi." he introduced himself, casually punching an incoming foe without looking. The fist connected and promptly broke the applicant's nose, aura diminishing. "Good to meet you."

For the rest of Initiation, Velvet would find herself in the care of this seemingly gentle giant. As the number of applicants dwindled, her hesitation lessened and finally decided to go for broke, whipping out her weapon.

No one was going to mock the bunny rabbit again after this.

* * *

By the time the number of initiates had dropped down to a meager hundred, a little under half of the starting number, Shizu easily had the highest number of "kills."

She targeted the weakest of the applicants first. She would work her way up, weeding out the trash mobs before moving on to the middle range, and then finally the actual threats. She did not underestimate her enemies. Everyone in this world was a potential threat, weak or no. Lord Ainz clearly thought as much, his first encounter with hostiles in Remnant clear proof of the potential these people had.

Raven Branwen did not stand a chance against him, of course, but the fact that she was able to use magic, something that was considered to be a rarity if their information was to be believed, was a great enough concern.

There was also the fact that the Pleiades Battle Maids, despite being designed with combat in mind as their name so blatantly stated, were only designed for the purpose of buying time. They were quite capable, but for all intents and purposes, none of them, save perhaps for Big Sister Omega, could last long in a battle against Players. Admittedly, the full extent of their abilities was unknown, as they never had the opportunity to test their skills against players. After all, the fools who dared to raid the Great Tomb of Nazarick had never made it past the Eighth Floor.

It made Shizu wonder what kind of NPCs lived on that level. Just how powerful were they to overwhelm such a large group of raiders? It was certainly something all the Pleiades, and perhaps even the Floor Guardians themselves, were curious about. Their curiosity grew even bigger when Lord Ainz restricted access, stating that no one was allowed to enter without his permission.

The overall disparity of skill was something Shizu secretly felt annoyed about. Though she understood Floor Guardians like Albedo and Demiurge far outclassed her and the maids, she still felt that she could be of use to Lord Ainz. She and her sisters did not want to feel useless. They wanted to prove themselves to the sole Supreme Being who stayed behind with them until the very end.

Infiltrating Beacon Academy, learning all she could about these potential enemies – it was CZ Delta's chance at proving her worth to Lord Ainz.

She would not squander this chance.

Through the use of her Skill [Analyze], Shizu could accurately gauge the strength of her enemies. The power of the applicants was revealed to her in full, data flowing into her mind. To some mild disappointment, the so-called Huntsmen and Huntresses-in-training were all around Level 10 or so. The highest Level she could gauge was Level 12, which belonged to at least seven of the hundreds of people here.

Regardless of this fact, Shizu treated each of them with caution. She struck fast and hard, and attacked when they were least expecting it. This was done in combination with the Skills [Shadow Step], which reduced her presence to a point where it was hard for them to locate her amid the madness that was Initiation, and [Backstab], which doubled any damage dealt when attacking from behind.

She also used the Skill [Record], as per Lord Ainz's orders to gather as much information about the usage of semblance as she could. So far, she gathered quite a bit of data. One applicant that was within her direct line of sight moved like a shadow, body briefly becoming intangible as they phased through a hail of bullets before retaliating with their hammer. Another was creating streaks of ice with each swing of their sword.

They varied in form and ability, and Shizu suspected that some semblances couldn't be seen by the naked eye. Acting like a passive buff perhaps. In this respect, semblances seemed very much like Unique Skills.

This made her a bit more cautious. Was it possible that there could be someone in Remnant who possessed a semblance that could pose a threat to Nazarick? It seemed quite likely.

As Initiation neared its end, the numbers dwindled down to a meager handful. Just as Shizu drew first blood, she had struck the final blow that would signal the end. Instead of simply just knocking them into a wall, Shizu had brought her rifle down on an applicant that she felt a bit incensed by. While she was not as prejudicial towards humans as the vast majority of the NPCs were, she had never wished to kill a human as much as she did right now. The big actually had the nerve to cop a feel on her posterior. The only ones allowed to touch her body were the Supreme Beings and all of Nazarick.

She took great pleasure bashing his head into the ground, even leaving behind a miniature crater in the wake. The remaining few applicants noticed her savage take-down and stared at her warily, a few inching away and raising their weapons at her. Shizu did not care for their hostility and instead hefted her rifle to her shoulder, glaring down at the pervert in contempt.

"...don't piss off a maid with a rifle." she said simply.

A buzzer went off. Everyone went still and lowered their weapons. A quick glance around the arena showed that the area had become more open in space. There was now only a meager 40 or so people. By Shizu's approximate count, out of the 200 initiates who entered the arena, including herself, only 41 had survived.

After a moment of silent congratulations towards one another, respecting their determination and strength, the Headmaster stepped into view. "Well done, all of you." he said with sincere praise. "A splendid show of ability. Three hours have elapsed, and forty of you now stand here victorious."

He adjusted the glasses sitting atop his nose, smiling.

"Congratulations, students. Wlcome to Beacon Academy."

A thunderous roar of applause and cheers reverberated throughout the arena. Some of the more easily excited ones dropped their weapons and fell to their knees, crying and cheering out in victory. Shizu couldn't help but compare it all to some kind of celebratory party.

Then she realized something, making her purse her lips. There were forty-one applicants left, when Ozpin had stated specifically that there should only be forty remaining. If what she heard was correct, the applicants would all be paired up into teams of four people. By this logic, there should be ten teams.

But one of them would be without a team. This forty-first person would not have a team. What would that mean for them? Would they be removed from Beacon? Would they be an extra member?

She supposed she would find out soon.

* * *

After the defeated applicants had been treated for their injuries, gathered their belongings and made their way to the next ship heading for Vale, the newly admitted students of Beacon were allowed a few hours of rest. Once they were well-rested, they were told to place their belongings in the ballroom and place them in numbered bags, so that the faculty could place them in the rooms that they would be staying in. After that, they were once again herded to the ampitheatre.

It was here that the teams would be made.

Despite Initiation working rather differently than usual, where applicants would be flung into the Emerald Forest and had to retrieve relics and then make their way back to the starting point, there was one thing that remained the same. That was to say, how the teachers would pair up the forty students among their peers to form teams.

Eye-contact.

Hazardous the method may be, with some teams proving to be quite dysfunctional because they couldn't work well with each other at all due to differing personalities and ideas, the method was actually designed as a means to help each other understand these differences. Those who could work with people they didn't know, random strangers of who they knew absolutely nothing about, had proven to be incredible teams that quickly made their names known throughout Remnant. Those that couldn't overcome the differences were often weeded out and dispersed before they could even make it to their second year.

A cold, but effective means of finding those who had both the ability to lead, and the ability to follow and learn. To form tight bonds of camaraderie.

However, every now and then, there was always the "odd one out." It was rare, but occasionally, there would always be the student who was not put on a team. This person was generally an oddity in the system, either overlooked or was unlucky enough to not be placed on a team. Normally, these individuals would either be placed into a small division where their activities would be limited, but could still participate in the Academy and complete their training (and perhaps even be assigned to a team that was short-handed), or be sent home.

These abnormals in Beacon's otherwise perfect system were called "Solos."

A Solo, a student that did not belong to a team, was generally treated differently. Some considered Solos to be quite talented due to the misguided understanding that they were incredibly skilled, which was sometimes the case, and therefore did not require a team. Others thought that they were too weak and had barely made it into Beacon, but wasn't put on a team because they might be dead weight. The rest were indifferent, thinking that they had gotten lucky.

This treatment even extended to the activities a Solo could undertake. Since they were not placed on a Team, they could not participate in certain activities, such as team battles in combat class or go on missions. In order to participate in an issued mission, they had to request permission to accompany a team. More often than not, the Solo's request was denied because the team already had good synergy with each other, and did not want an outsider to mess up their teamwork. Including a fifth person into their dynamics would be difficult, and generally didn't want them involved.

The worst offender was also the fact that, because they did not belong to a team, the Solo could not participate in the Vytal Festival. The worst possible shame they could endure.

Shizu, as it turned out, was the "odd one out." She had been pulled aside by Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch from her peers and called into the office of the Headmaster himself. The man was sitting behind his desk, looking at a document of some kind.

It would only take an idiot to understand the reason why Shizu had been brought here by herself, considering that there were forty-one people who successfully passed Initiation.

"Miss Obsidian, good to see you." Ozpin greeted with a nod. "Please, take a seat. This shouldn't take too long."

Shizu nodded and pulled the chair out and sitting in it. Ozpin studied her carefully, taking in everything about her and trying to piece together this seemingly incredible puzzle before him. The document he was currently reading was the basic background information about the girl in front of him, this Shizu Obsidian. Her skills were, quite frankly, head and shoulders above anything he had seen since the fateful year that Team STRQ first roamed these halls. Her speed and physical capability were incredible, as was her thought process. She had clearly targeted who she perceived to be the weakest of the applicants first, then worked her way through the top.

While this wasn't all that impressive, what was impressive was the fact that she accomplished all of this without being struck once. And without any aura.

Perhaps due to the trauma she suffered from losing her parents to a Grimm attack, Shizu Obsidian did not possess Aura. It was quite rare to find someone who did not have their Aura unlocked, and even rarer to find someone who did not even have one. Generally, the only beings who did not possess an Aura were the Creatures of Grimm. They were soulless creatures, and only those with a soul could project Aura. The idea that this girl did not have a soul was, quite frankly, so outlandish it wasn't even worth considering.

In honesty, however, Ozpin felt sorry for the poor girl. Her face was like a mask. It hid what truly laid beneath her, this girl who was seemingly indifferent to everything. He had seen her expression throughout all of Initiation, completely neutral and unchaning. She looked like a hunter out on the prowl, but did not express any emotion. It was like she was a robot performing a daily routine. Yet he could tell there was something more to her.

In that eye, he saw a girl who wanted someone to look at her. To tell her that she was worth _something_.

_The loss of a parent is always hard._ Ozpin thought somberly.

Finished with his reading, the Headmaster looked up at the girl in front of him. "First of all, allow me to congratulate you once again for successfully completing Initiation, Miss Obsidian. Your skills and abilities are quite impressive. Out of the forty applicants, you sport the highest amount of defeats. Over sixty people thrown out of the arena and their Aura utterly demolished." His lips curled. "Not an easy feat, I imagine."

Shizu bowed her head. "...thank you, Headmaster."

"Now then, let's get to business. As I'm sure you are aware by now, everyone here at Beacon is placed on a team of four. Whenever we're left with a surplus of extra initiates, we usually tend to send them home and try again next year. However, every now and then, among those extras are those with considerable skill and talent. To those, we offer them a chance here at Beacon. They aren't placed on a team, but we don't exactly have them go on missions by themselves."

He paused a bit, letting this information sink into her head before he continued. "Simply put, these students, while having the same education, have a few disadvantages compared to others. They are exempt from certain activities and cannot go on missions unless they accompany another team. Additionally, they cannot participate in the Vytal Festival because they do not belong on a team. However, we also want to help them hone their potential, so whenever a team has a vacancy for whatever reason, we offer them a chance to join a team. This usually only happens during their second year here at Beacon."

"To put it simply, Miss Obsidian, you have one of two choices. You can return home and try again for Beacon next year, or pursue education here at Beacon with a 'rough start.' The choice is yours."

In truth, he expected Shizu Obsidian to pick the first option. He was fully aware of how unfair the status of Solo was, but there wasn't much he could do. Though he was the Headmaster, he did not have much power over the affairs of his students. He wanted to help them as best he could, but this was all he could provide.

Shizu's eye remained stalwart. She had already made her decision. "...I wish to become a Huntress."

Ozpin smiled sadly. "Very well. Once again, miss Shizu Obsidian, welcome to Beacon Academy."


	10. Volume 2: Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

* * *

_**Something Wicked This Way Comes**_

* * *

Volume 2:  
The Lone Huntress

* * *

**CHAPTER 2 | Obsidian**

* * *

_**1**_

The teams had all been settled in. The naming process was usually a short affair, despite Port's griping about coming up with the names generally being more trouble than they were. In all honesty, Ozpin wanted to do away with the tradition of the Color Naming, but there wasn't much he could do on that end. Not without changing the rules established by the original Headmasters. It was always going to be a challenge, changing rules that had been around for quite a few decades.

Still, at least this year's batch of students proved to be rather promising. Now that he had some time to himself, he had gone through each of the forty accepted applicants' profiles. Each one was clearly skilled in their own right, though a few of their backgrounds worried him somewhat. It was always going to be a common thing, finding the problem students based on reports and such. Already within the first few minutes, he found fifteen or so students who were known for their violent behavior or racial prejudice towards humans, Faunus, etc.

"Haaa…"

Ozpin sighed. Oh, how he wished people would learn to move on from all of this. Sadly, it seemed that was impossible. After all, time always persisted when it came to things like this. Even so, he hoped that, one day, humans and Faunus could learn to one day join hands as they did so long ago.

Especially given the present circumstances. Grimm attacks and sightings had been on the rise, no doubt because of the growing tensions. The civil right movement of the Faunus was escalating, and not in a good way. Reports on attacks from the White Fang and needless violence on the streets against protesters were becoming too common. At the rate things were going, there was the possibility of another Faunus war on the rise. That was something no one wanted, considering that those conflicts brought out not just the worst in humans, but also high casualties from all sides.

Sixty percent of those casualties were caused by Grimm, attracted to the build-up of negative emotions.

_Still, perhaps the new generation can make changes of their own._ Ozpin believed. After all, if there was one thing he was certain of, it was that the new generation always had a way of influencing the world, be it for good or ill purposes. He could still fondly remember how far humans had come since he returned to the world. Humans had been so reliant on the gods that they believed divine protection was all they needed. Nobility and royalty stood safely guarded behind stone walls. But here, where everyone was equal, they had learned to think for themselves and fight to defend what was most precious.

Speaking of the new generation, Ozpin thought back to the new Solo student. Shizu Obsidian. Her skills were above and beyond anything one would see in an applicant. Without question, given the proper guidance, she would no doubt become one of the greatest Huntresses the world would ever seen. Perhaps on par to the famed Grimm Reaper from years ago. If there was any disadvantage to Shizu's potential growth, it was her new circumstances as a Solo. One of the many rules established by the previous Headmasters that Ozpin was dead-set on changing. In all honesty, he wanted to meet whoever came up with this ridiculous system and beat them over the head with his cane.

When the Solo system was initially conceived, it was meant to foster the skills of the truly gifted. It was designed with the idea of prodigies in mind, people who's talents were above all the others. It was obviously created with favoritism in mind, especially considering the Solos from back then were greater in number than today. Of course, back then, the standards were much lower than they needed to be. In actuality, because the concept of the Huntsmen Academies was still quite fresh, the protectors of the world had gotten in through connections and political clout. Only a meager handful had the abilities needed to become Huntsmen.

To his frustration, Ozpin had little authority to remove this foolish concept of Solos. A student, by themselves, couldn't hope to grow. There was only so much one could accomplish by themselves. Even he, when he was at his prime, needed aid from others every now and then. It was also why students were placed into pairs. Ideally, he wanted everyone to learn how to operate in large numbers, but it was best to have them manage small, then go up from there. It was why second and third years had to work with other teams, because the mission difficulties would grow higher as well.

Ozpin hoped he would be able to abolish the Solo system and allow these lonely students to work with others, but the old ways persisted. For now, all he could do was have them endure and await a time for when he would be able to place them on a team.

Still…

_Something tells me Ms. Obsidian's skills are far greater than one might expect._ He had noticed it when he looked back at the footage from Initiation. Shizu had systematically eliminated the competition by targeting the weakest of the bunch, and her assaults lasted only a single blow. Curiously, she never fired a single shot from her rifle and used it in a way that was most definitely not intended. Based on its design, he concluded that, unlike most weapons nowadays, it did not possess any transformation function or close-range combat form. However, its design was quite unique, perhaps meaning it was a custom-made weapon. _The speed, power and precision she displayed, and without any Aura… It's been a long time since I've seen someone of this caliber. Still, I'm quite curious. Why hasn't Ms. Obsidian had her Aura unlocked?_

This was quite curious. It wasn't entirely unusual for students to come to Beacon without their Aura unlocked, but it was even more unusual for someone to graduate with no Aura still. Ozpin made it a point to have their Auras unlocked during their time here, especially since they would need every tool at their disposal. Not only that, but a Huntsman's most vital weapon was not only the ability to defend themselves without a weapon, but also their Semblance – the most powerful ability at their beck and call. Admittedly, not all Huntsmen possessed one, but they could still turn the tide.

Either way, Shizu Obsidian was a mystery to him. A diamond in the rough that he hoped to one day refine. It was a waste to have her abilities become dull simply because of circumstance. He would have to find an open slot for her as soon as possible.

Moving away from Shizu Obsidian, the newly formed Team CFVY (Coffee) was his next interest. Each member was quite promising. Coco Adel scored at the top of her classes and came here based on a recommendation. Fox Alistair was another promising one, though based on what Ozpin read, the boy had not had an easy life in Vacuo. Velvet Scarlatina was another recommendation, though much of her abilities came from being personally trained by her mother, who had retired quite some time ago. Yatsuhashi Daichi from Mistral was another noteworthy lad, having scored the second-highest "kill" count in Initiation and had an undefeated score in Combat School.

He had little doubt that these four would prove to be one of the best teams Beacon would ever have the pleasure of molding.

"Gotta admit, been a while since Initiation used to be so much fun." Qrow remarked with a whimsy grin on his face. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's always fun to see the rugrats get thrown off a cliff and into a forest full of things that want to maim and kill them, but that free-for-all? Best one yet."

Raven groaned at her brother's antics, her head held in her hand in exasperation. "By the Brothers, how are we related?"

"Well, we did pop out of our mother's hole."

"I wish we hadn't."

Ozpin coughed into his palm. "As much fun as this discussion sounds, I'd like to get back to the point of this meeting."

"Regarding that, Ozpin..." Though the glare of her glasses hid it quite well, absolutely no one couldn't see the cold glare Glynda gave Raven. The air seemed to be quite frigid and rife with tension. "May I ask _why_ you allowed her back here?"

The portly man off to the side frowned. "Now now, Glynda." Peter Port admonished her. "Despite Raven's rather...unscrupulous decisions in life, she's not our enemy."

"That may be, but must I remind you that she's still one of the most wanted people on the planet?" she reminded her co-worker, her demeanor not softening in the slightest. "Regardless of why she returned to Beacon, the fact remains she is a criminal. And I don't have to tell you what sort of reaction James might have if he learned about this, much less the Council."

Qrow narrowed his eyes. "For all I care, Jimmy can kiss my ass." he said with thinly-veiled hostility. "He has a problem with Ray, he can take it up with me. Personally, I'd like to see him try and send his tin cans at me. He just better not expect me to pay for the bill."

"Dully noted, Qrow." Ozpin groused.

While his right-hand man didn't outright hate Ironwood, even considering him a friend of sorts, he did have quite a few problems with his overzealous acts of authority and control issues. Not that he didn't understand such worries. In truth, Ozpin himself worried what might happen if his friend's paranoia got the better of him.

"Also, Glynda. Despite Raven's former occupation being...less than stellar, the fact remains that she _willingly_ offered us her assistance."

Raven scoffed beneath her breath. "Willingly, he says..." she muttered, nobody hearing her snide remark.

"And for that matter, I would also like to remind you that Raven is also the Spring Maiden, one of the few people capable of removing the Relics from their vaults?" At this, no one said anything. "As it stands, Beacon Academy, and Vale by extension, is the safest place for her to be. If you have any misgivings about this, you can take it up with me. Am I understood?"

Glynda looked as if she wanted to argue, but then she realized who, exactly, she would be making an argument with. Instead, she furrowed her brow and sighed, shaking her head. "Understood, sir."

"Good, moving along!" Ozpin smiled more widely. "Let's turn the topic to what's important for us at the moment. That is to say, the students. Your personal thoughts on this year's batch?"

"That Obsidian girl is my favorite, hands down." Qrow said almost immediately, his shit-eating grin seen a mile away. "I mean, come on. When's the last time you seen a girl like that beat the shit out of everyone while using her rifle as a _bat_?"

"Crude as her style may be, I do agree with Qrow's assessment." Glynda offered her input. "Shizu does seem to be quite skilled. That being said, I must raise a concern as to why she hasn't had her Aura unlocked yet."

Raven blinked. "Excuse me? You mean to tell me you allowed someone who _doesn't have Aura_ in a Huntsman Academy?" She looked at Ozpin, incredulous. "Are you seriously that desperate, old man?"

"Ms. Obsidian entered Beacon based on referral." Ozpin replied coolly. "And while her circumstances are odd, her abilities speak for themselves. That being said, I do plan to have her Aura unlocked sometime within the near future."

"Regarding her future, Headmaster, I must voice my concerns about making her a Solo." Oobleck intervened with a frown. "While it is true that we haven't had a Solo student in quite some time, I must also point out that, in recent studies, the restrictions placed on them dampen their ability to learn. Are we certain that we can't make an exception and place her as an extra?"

Ozpin sighed. "If I could do that, old friend, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." he lamented. "If I could, I would do away with some of the old traditions and make it so that teams would be allowed to have an extra member, but that would require earning support and votes from the Council. However, I am looking into finding a suitable team for her to join. While I would love to put her with a second or third-year, I can't show favoritism. She will have to be placed on a first-year team, assuming a vacancy is made during her first year here."

"Still, you have to wonder..." Port rubbed his chin. "Where on earth had a girl like that, with no Aura or semblance at her disposal, learn how to fight so efficiently?"

* * *

The quarters Shizu had been given were fairly large for one person. Admittedly, some space was cramped as there were four beds, all lined up against the walls, which left little room to place personal belongings unless someone got creative. However, Shizu had not had very many belongings with her, if at all any. In fact, all she had were effects from her quarters in the Maid Dormitories, or rather items that were useless to the common person.

The items remained in the bag, sitting atop the desk next to the bed that would be hers for the next few years unless something changed. Shizu looked around the room, the crosshairs in her eye expanding and shrinking.

The room was transparent before her: every nook, every cranny, every corner, every wall and every single tiny little spec in the air was visible. Even the wooden and steel beams in the walls were visible, exposed to her eye. She was using a skill to determine whether or not there were items or bugs in place meant to spy on her person while here. Lord Ainz had warned her to take every possible precaution and not leave anything to chance. So far, she didn't find any bugs, but to be safe, she casted a spell over the room.

"[Void Silence]." she murmured, a glyph dancing underneath her feet before it expanded and washed over the room, eventually fading. She waited a few moments, waiting to see if a potential enemy would react, then let out a small sigh and sat on her bed. "[Message]."

Two seconds later, the voice of the Floor Guardians' Overseer filled her mind.

[Ah, CZ Delta! You have excellent timing. I was just about to contact you.] Shizu tilted her head. On the one hand, she felt honored that the Overseer would give her the time of day, but on the other hand, she was confused. What could Lady Albedo want with her? [Before we get into that, though, what are you calling? Do you have good news?]

"...Yes." Shizu replied softly, keeping her voice low. While she did trust the strength of her spell, she did not want to leave things to chance. "Is Lord Ainz present? I wish to bring him the news."

[Sadly, he is locked away in his personal chambers.] Albedo sighed deeply. [He called Demiurge to assist him in some matter. What Lord Ainz has planned, I cannot fathom. But, regardless, I will pass along the news.]

"...I have successfully infiltrated Beacon Academy. I am now a first-year student."

[Wonderful! Excellent news indeed!] Albedo exclaimed in glee. [Remember to report any potential findings to us immediately. Also, Lord Ainz would like a documented list of individuals you believe to be a potential threat to Nazarick.]

Shizu nodded. "...I understand, Lady Albedo."

[Good. Now that has been settled…] There was a brief moment of pause in Albedo's voice. For a second, Shizu wondered if she had severed the connection before Albedo returned, tone oddly concerned. [Shizu, speaking personally and honestly...who would you believe to be better suited as Lord Ainz's head wife? Myself or Shalltear?]

She blinked. Once, twice. A third time before the question registered. _Ah. Elder Sister Yuri mentioned this to me earlier._ It had become well-known among the maids, combat and staff alike, that Lady Albedo and Lady Shalltear were trying to see who was worthy of the position of head wife. There were other contenders besides those two, such as Neuronist, but every single one of the maids and other denizens of Nazarick ignored her and focused on the two more powerful NPCs. By Shizu's own estimations, 39% of the staff sided with Lady Shalltear, with Entoma, Lupusregina and Solution also among their number. 44% sided with Lady Albedo. Yuri being among them. Only 17% and the remaining two members of the Pleiades Combat maids remained neutral.

Shizu weighed her response carefully. On the one hand, having the good graces of the Overseer could work in her favor sometime. Perhaps as aid to help her settle her rivalry with Entoma to see who was better deserving of the position of "little sister." On the other hand, Albedo had requested that she speak honestly and from her own personal opinions.

After a moment, the maid determined her answer. "Speaking honestly...I believe that both of you are well-suited to being Lord Ainz's head wife. Lady Shalltear is the NPC created by Lord Peroroncino, who was a close friend to Lord Ainz. However, you are the Overseer of the Floor Guardians, and possess a close bond with Lord Ainz."

[I see.] Albedo voiced her disappointment, but did not lash out at the maid. [Thank you for your input.]

"...Lady Albedo, may I make an inquiry?"

[What is it?]

"...are the clothes Lady Shalltear and Lord Ainz picked out for me truly terrible?" Shizu could not honestly care much about the opinions of Coco Adel. She did not care about fashion, merely how well the clothes would protect her in the field since she could not use her maid uniform. "I am not questioning the Supreme Being or Lady Shalltear, but a human here at Beacon has become quite incensed by my choice of attire. I do not wish to initiate an altercation and put my being here at risk, but nor do I wish to insult Lord Ainz and Lady Shalltear's thoughtfulness."

Albedo hummed. [If I were in your position, I would kill the human on the spot, but you can't do that so… Hrm, this _is_ a conundrum. I suppose the best thing to do is try and pretend to make friends with the human. However, if she continues to be a problem, contact me immediately. I'll see to it that she will be dealt with.]

"Understood."

The connection fell silent afterwards. Shizu let out a soft sigh before she looked out the window. The moon hanged in the sky, showing off its fractured body.

"...how beautiful."

* * *

Velvet had never felt so embarrassed before. Not since the day she introduced her first boyfriend to her parents back in middle school.

"Holy shit, Yatsu! You're ripped!" Whereas Velvet was doing her best not to look, Coco was salivating and drinking in the sight of a topless Yatsuhashi, her new partner following the events of Initiation. He was currently engaged in what appeared to be a nightly workout, his legs hanging in the air while performing what looked like vertical push-ups on a single hand, the other behind his back. "The heck do you do to get those kinds of abs?"

"Training." Yatsuhashi replied. "Long years of training. And discipline."

Who was the pervert who decided that it would be a good idea for teams to share the same room? As much as Velvet wanted to be happy, she was not used to being given a show of men willingly taking off their clothes right in front of them or walking around half-naked. The closest she had seen to a man exposing so much skin was the time her ex-boyfriend after a workout session, where his tanktop clung to his skin and exposed his well-built form to her properly. She had expected the dorms to be separated, or at least the teams having separate rooms to sleep in. Instead, they were all corralled into one room, a bit on the small side and rather cramped at that. Worse, they only had one shower.

Had Velvet known about this, she would have asked if she could have a room all to herself. Didn't they know how inappropriate this all was? What if the teams got up to some late-night hijinks? Velvet herself had no experience in those matters, but she knew about them from her friends back home. She had been forced to listen to more than a few stories about how partners became "too intimate" in their rooms when no one was around.

She had no desire to see Coco in the middle of such acts, nor did she want to see the aftermath.

So why couldn't she look away from Yatsuhashi's chiseled backside?!

"Shower's free." Velvet squeawked, fumbling with her camera and playing a game of hot potato with it before grabbing it in mid-air. She let out a sigh of relief and looked over at Fox, who had been the first to enter the shower. Much to her relief, he was wearing a robe over his otherwise naked person.

"Dibs!" Coco called out almost immediately. Velvet rolled her eyes as her friend shot her a wink. As she passed by Fox and gave him a light tap on his rear end, making him jump in surprise. She laughed as she disappeared into the bathroom, the door closing shut behind her.

Fox gave Velvet a concerned look. "Doe she...do that often?"

The half-Faunus shook her head. "Coco can be frisky, but she knows when to respect her boundaries." she told him. Fox sighed in relief before he walked over to his bed, grabbing hold of his articles of clothing and proceeded to put them on, thankfully starting below the waste while keeping his robe on.

An awkward silence then fell upon the room. Yatsuhashi continued his push-ups while Fox got dressed. Velvet shifted awkwardly on her bed. She was uncomfortable with the silence, but she didn't know what she should do. She doubted that she could strike up a conversation about clothing. That was Coco's area of expertise and interest. And she had limited experience with boys.

While she did have a boyfriend, the relationship had only lasted for barely two years. At first, Velvet thought that he had simply grown tired of her as one day, he had started to see her less and less. When she confronted him on the matter, his father had been the source. He had not been pleased to hear that his son had been dating a Faunus, and when he refused to break things off, the man decided that if he wouldn't break things off, they would move to another Kingdom. Velvet had been heartbroken, but the sappy idiot wanted to try and make a long distance relationship work.

Ultimately, it ended, but the two at least parted on good terms. And Velvet had many fond memories of him, as captured on camera.

Her boyfriend and her two teammates, strangers up until today, were two entirely different things.

'_What should I say? Urgh, what would mama try in this situation? She's so much better in dealing with people than I am!'_

Thankfully, however, it seemed that Fox was the one who initiated the conversation instead after having fully clothed himself, now wearing a simple red t-shirt with baggy black sweats.

"...what do you think about all of this?" he asked the two, his voice soft in spite of his otherwise scarred and rugged features. "I'm not used to sharing a room with people I've only just met, so..."

Yatsuhashi pushed himself off his hand, flipping onto his feet. Velvet desperately looked away, lest she find herself staring at the hardcore abs he was sporting. "I worked with my classmates on occasion back home, but our partnership tended to last for only a month at best." he explained while rummaging through his bag, pulling out a washcloth. "They were mostly training exercises and excursions, however."

"I don't work with people much." Fox admitted bashfully. "I'm slightly nervous."

"I-I'm sure we'll be fine." Velvet, the voice of optimism, pined. "So, where did you guys study before coming to Beacon?"

"I trained at Ryuu Combat School in Mistral." Yatsuhashi said. "Very combat focused, hence why we did not work with others unless it was for an assignment. What of you, Fox?"

Fox shrugged. "I didn't go to a Combat School. I'm self-taught."

Velvet's eyes shined. Typically, there were two ways someone could apply to a Huntsman Academy. The first and most common way was for someone to enroll at a Combat School. Once graduated, students could turn in their grades to the academy and apply for Initiation. If the application was accepted, the students could participate in Initiation. The second way was for people who did not participate in Combat Schools, but had actual experience in battle, to apply for a Practical Exam. Those who passed the Practical Exam would be allowed to participate in Initiation, while those that did not were turned away, but could try their luck next year.

More often than not, students who graduated from Combat Schools applied for a Huntsman Academy than people who were self-taught. According to a study, over seventy percent of the student faculty was made up of Combat Graduates, with the remaining thirty percent those that were self-taught.

Velvet had recalled seeing Fox in action. Granted, what little she saw was limited, but his abilities were the real deal. And he was capable of keeping up with Coco, who was not only Class Valedictorian, but passed with top grades at her Combat School. Smart, good lucks, and kickass with a minigun. A triple-threat, as it were, and quite hard to keep up with.

"You were self-taught?" Yatsuhashi rubbed his chin. "Impressive. Where did you come from?"

"Vacuo." Fox replied. "And let me tell you, Crawlers are just pains in the ass!"

_**2**_

The first day of Beacon Academy had officially begun. The morning sun was rising into the sky and the students were already donning their uniforms. Shizu was hesitant to forgo clothes that had good stats and defenses, but she dared not draw attention or earn the ire of the teachers and instead chose to wear the uniform without much fuss. However, as the guidebook had stated when she read through it last night, she was allowed to modify the uniform within reason.

She wore the button-up shirt with the tie, blazer and skirt, but she kept her eyepatch and scarf. Unfortunately, her weapon was to be stored in her locker unless she was asked to retrieve it with permission from the teachers, in case of emergency, or in the likely event of a Grimm invasion.

Shizu looked at herself in the mirror, comparing it to her attire as a Pleiades, before she went on her way. She opened the door and stepped into the hallway. By virtue of awareness of her surroundings, fast reflexes and her own nature, she was able to avoid a near collision with another student.

"Oh, gosh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… Wait, Shizu?"

Shizu stared at Velvet Scarlatina's face, idly noting that her ears were still bare and made a mental note to re-apply the sticker. She also took notice of her companions, likely her new team. One was a burly man with a stony expression, his skin color reminding her of Demiurge, another was a teen with crimson hair and unusual colored eyes. He was not looking directly at her, but instead at her general direction. She concluded that he was blind and was reliant on sound, marking him as a person of interest for more personal matters than those related to Nazarick. The last was Coco Adel, the woman who was insistent on a wardrobe change.

The maid, remembering her conversation with Albedo, carefully considered how to approach this girl. Today was the beginning of her assignment and observation of Beacon Academy's students and teachers, and she did not wish to garner attention simply because of one girl's obsession. Now that she thought about it, why was this Coco Adel so obsessed with the matter of clothing? Was it possible there was a stat value of some kind? It was worth investigating, so perhaps she could go along with the girl's demands.

So long as it did not involve throwing aside the clothes the Supreme Being and Shalltear provided. The moment Coco suggested as such, she would fight tooth and nail.

"...greetings." Shizu bowed her head, recalling how Yamaiko often did so when greeting the other Pleiades when given the opportunity. When Shizu asked Yuri Alpha about it, the older maid informed her that it was a gesture of respect.

"A friend of yours, Velvet?" the tall man inquired, voice surprisingly gentle for a man of his size.

The demihuman scratched her cheek. "Sort of. We met back in the ballroom. This is Shizu Obsidian."

"Ah, I see." The man bowed his head deeply in respect, mirroring Shizu's actions. She saw that he did so fluidly and naturally, just as Yamaiko had done so many times before. "I am Daichi, Yatsuhashi. It is an honor, Shizu."

"Fox." the red-haired boy introduced himself casually in contrast to his fellow dark-skinned comrade. "Call me Fox. Nice to meet you."

Shizu nodded, accepting the gesture. "...nice to meet you all." she said.

Coco eyed the girl, pulling down her sunglasses. Some hostility was present, but for the most part, she appeared to be appraising her overall look. Shizu wondered if she was determining how well the clothes could defend her, if she was capable of determining a stat value, but she smiled.

"Well, at least the uniform suits you. Not sure 'bout the scarf, though." Coco said finally, nodding to herself. "And, hey. Sorry 'bout the other night. I, uh...tend to get passionate when it comes to clothes."

Velvet snorted. "That's putting it _mildly_."

Coco shot her friend a mild glare before she turned her attention back to Shizu. "So, Shizu my girl. What class you got first?"

"Peter Port." Shizu answered. "Grimm studies."

Yatsuhashi smiled. "We have that class as well. Shall we go together?"

"_Remember, Shizu. You must blend in. And be careful that you do not attract attention to yourself. Study as many people as you can. Learn as much as you can. But above all else, do _not_ alert them of the presence of Nazarick or myself."_

Shizu remembered the words of Ainz and nodded. "...yes."

* * *

The classroom was barely the size of a common room in Nazarick, though much of it seemed to be catered to the housing of the students. The whole floor was a staircase of sorts, with desks and chairs lining each step. Various decorations cloaked the walls and the ceiling, prominently featuring skeletons of animals, diagrams of creatures unfamiliar to Shizu and so on. The blackboard that sat in the very front of the room, adjacent to the doorway, was marked with various scribbles of writing and drawings. They were mostly tutorial writings, explaining basic functions of the class like when it would begin and end and what it would cover.

Immediately after entering, Shizu's attention was drawn to the hanging skeleton, a fake one much to her disappointment, on the ceiling. It was avian in structure, wings expansive as they reached from one side of the room to the other. The first thing that came to mind was the Hresvalgr, a mid-level enemy commonplace in _Yggdrasil_. At first, she thought someone had killed it and then stripped the meat from its bones, but the shape of the skull and wings did not match the creature at all. And the bones were fake, of course.

_Possibly a creature similar to the Hresvalgr._ Shizu concluded in her thoughts. _A Grimm, perhaps._

Based on the information that was shared by the Floor Guardians, she concluded that the recreational skeleton was meant to represent the Nevermore Grimm, an avian predator. Lady Aura had managed to subdue quite a few of these creatures, but none of the ones she tamed were even remotely of such size. Was it imitating these so-called "Elder Grimm" that the dark elf had relayed back to the Supreme Being when she first tamed a Grimm?

"Yo, Shizu. What's the hold up?" Coco inquired, following her line of sight. "What's so interesting about some overgrown bird?"

"Coco..." Velvet grimaced. "You do realize how many people have been killed by Elder Nevermores, right? They're just as bad as a pack of Beowolves."

"Granted, but that thing's just a dumb replica. Same with those stuffed trophy heads." the self-proclaimed fashionista gestured to said ornaments sitting above the blackboard. "The teacher _does_ remember that Grimm dissolve or evaporate or just go poof when they die, right? Who's he fooling?"

Yatsuhashi shrugged his shoulders. "Who can say?" he replied. "Why don't we take our seats for now? Class will begin in ten minutes, after all."

"Here's hoping the teacher's a good one."

Since there didn't appear to be any sort of seating order, Shizu freely sat in the front. Team CFVY had chosen to sit in the middle on the right side. Any remaining or arriving studies all chose to sit sparsely, creating more than a few sizable gaps.

Around seven minutes later, their teacher entered. Shizu focused her gaze on him, body becoming rigid.

He was a rather portly man, belly rotund and possessing thick facial hair on his upper lip, tended with great care. His eyes were crinkled shut, but what little could be seen were sharpened eyes belonging to someone of experience. His hair was frosty, showing that he was well on in his years, but there was a tension to him. Every step was measured, heavy with not just personal weight but a weapon somewhere on his person, well-concealed. The bright red shirt he wore was tightly strained, and his trousers emphasized his meaty thighs perhaps a bit too much.

Whereas others would see nothing more than fat, CZ Delta could only see muscle.

_This man is a teacher, like Lady Yamaiko._

She vaguely remembered her inactive days in _Yggdrasil_, unable to move or act without the obedient orders of a Supreme Being. She followed set routines, but she never deviated from them unless she was told to do so. They were not bad memories per say, but the memories she had of the Supreme Beings, including her creators and masters, were few and fleeting. Among the ones she cherished the most were the one-sided conversations Lady Yamaiko had with her personal creation and defacto leader of the Pleiades Combat Maids, Yuri Alpha.

She recalled how Lady Yamaiko called herself a teacher, a job that was somehow difficult for a powerful being such as her. Often, she heard her complain to Yuri or another Supreme Being about being tasked with unruly children that tried her patience. If not them, then it was her fellow teachers, who she constantly found herself fighting with over certain practices.

Whatever a "teacher" was, they must be on equal par with Lady Yamaiko if even one such as she struggled to deal with them, much less handle unruly children, who possessed considerable strength. Of course, she was applying this standard to the "teachers" from her home world. Based on her observations thus far, the inhabitants of Remnant did not possess considerable power, barring that Raven Branwen woman.

Of course, there was also the possibility she was wrong. If she was, she must tread cautiously. If this man discovered her true nature, she would be in danger. And she did not wish to test her chances against someone who may or may not be on equal strength of the Supreme Beings.

After a tense minute of silence and waiting, almost as if the teacher was expecting combat to break out at any moment. The tension ceased when the man's lips curled upwards, revealing his pearly white teeth.

"Welcome, class, to Grimm Studies!" the teacher spoke, his voice warm and jovial. "My name is Peter Port! And for the next year, myself and my associates will be tasked with grooming you into becoming the next generation of the finest, most splendid Huntsman and Huntresses on the planet!"

* * *

Classes had gone by in the blink of an eye, each providing Shizu with a wealth of information. She had paid great attention to the words of her instructors, taking note of their every action and characteristic, making sure to include as much data as possible in her report to Lady Albedo, who was expecting it by tonight. Ideally, Shizu wished to send reports daily on a day-by-day basis, most pertaining to information in regards to the students she interacted with, people she believed could be a possible threat to Nazarick, and so on.

Currently, it was now lunch time. The students reconvened in the ball room, now re-purposed into a dining hall. It was nowhere near as grand as the one the servants of the Great Tomb convened when it was time to feed themselves, but it certainly catered to the whims of the students' choice of eating. All sorts of meat, vegetables and drinks were served at the counter, and in the back countless chefs were working around the clock to provide food.

In the meantime, though, she wondered why Coco looked so displeased. A sentiment shared by Fox. "Is something wrong, Coco?" he asked. "You feel disappointed."

"That's one word for it..." Coco grimaced. "I thought we were going to be learning about Grimm. Not hear our professor talk about his glory days. Half of which I'm convinced didn't happen."

"Coco, it's the first day." Velvet argued. "And besides, I-I think Professor Port had life lessons ingrained to his stories."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

She fell silent, unable to find an answer.

Shizu thought back to the class. Peter Port had spent most of the allotted time just talking, sometimes going into detail about Grimm and sometimes speaking more personally about himself and his adventures. She made sure to record every word. If even half of what that man said was true, then she considered him to be a legitimate threat in the event he became hostile. Of course, this was merely the first encounter. She still needed more information about the teachers and students.

Thinking on Peter Port, however, Shizu had noticed that, while the man may have acted like a warm dwarf, his eyes were anything but.

**[Subject is Peter Port. Professor of Beacon Academy. He regals students with tales of his adventures, recounting his encounters with the Creatures of Grimm. His movements are short but practiced, sometimes rigid. He speaks like a boggart embellishing a tale, but his eyes are cold. He was analyzing every last one of us, looking to see who was paying attention, who was ignoring his words and which ones were trying to discern fact from fiction. He is testing our knowledge and ability to decide for ourselves which stories he tells are true and which stories are false. Tactics resemble the ones used by other Players in _Yggdrasil_. Requires further study.]**

The file was saved away in the recesses of her mind. She took a quick glance around the mess hall, taking note of every person here, both experienced upperclassmen and fellow inexperienced freshmen alike.

How many of these people would be insignificant and could pose no threat to Lord Ainz, and how many could prove to be dangerous? She was determined to learn.

"So, enough talk about our boggart red baron. Let's talk about some juicy details!" Coco clapped her hands and looked at Shizu eagerly. "I got to know about my team, but how about you, Shizu? What's your story?"

Velvet gave her friend an admonishing look. "Coco!"

"What? Just curious."

Shizu nodded. "…there is little to say. My parents were killed in a Grimm attack, and I was raised by my uncle. A close friend of his taught me how to fight."

Team CFVY winced. They had not expected her to say such things. On her part, Velvet just stared at Shizu in disturb. _How could she say that with such a…bland tone?_ It was like hearing a robot speak, little to no emotion exerted. No passionate words or sadness when recounting her tale. It almost sounded as if she was disinterested. But, how could that be? Surely she must have felt something from what happened in her past.

Or, was it because of grief? Velvet remembered hearing stories about children who had lost their parents and how it had affected them. When she remembered the contents of one such article, her face paled.

Did Shizu see her parents die right in front of her?

A hole formed in her stomach. "I'm sorry."

"Why do you apologize?" Shizu asked. "You were curious. I answered. There is nothing wrong with that."

"Bringing up horrible memories is not something one should do lightly." Yatsuhashi closed his eyes. "Forgive us. We did not wish to pry."

Coco grimaced. "Shit, er… Sorry. I had no idea."

"It is fine." Shizu replied.

They continued their lunch in silence.

* * *

The next class that began was one that Shizu was particularly interested in. After all, it was perhaps her best chance at gathering data about the students' combat capabilities and semblances.

Needless to say, Combat Class.

It took place in the same ampitheatre that Initiation's Battle Royal was held in the other day and was headed by a woman called Glynda Goodwitch, also known as the Wicked Witch by the upperclassmen if the whispers she heard were correct. Around her, many people shifted anxiously out of excitement by the prospect of being able to show off what they were capable of.

Unlike before, where the teachers occupied the stands, the ampitheatre was filled to the brim. Students of all years were in attendance, as part of the program.

"There is always someone better than you." That was the phrase most often tossed around when people believed that they were exceptional. In order to disprove that theory, and to help the students foster their growth and test themselves against opponents stronger than them, students from every year were asked to participate and demonstrate to the younger students the gap that they must overcome. The method was first introduced by Ozpin around a decade ago shortly after he became the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, though it initially had mixed results. Students couldn't overcome the gap and typically fell behind, while the older students who could start to let the difference in strength get to their heads. That changed around eight or seven years ago when Glynda Goodwitch was employed.

And she produced amazing results.

Her critique and no-nonsense nature served to be the iron clad rule in the class. Her advice to those struggling to overcome the gap allowed them to learn from their mistakes and improve, while those who though themselves arrogant suddenly found themselves being overwhelmed by those who were learning.

There were a few exercises that Combat Class offered. Normally, two students would be pitted against each other. In other words, PvP. Aside from this, there were team matches, 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and full teams battling against each other.

This, of course, was where one of the weaknesses of being a Solo reared its ugly head. As a Solo, Shizu could not participate in these team matches. She could only sit on the sidelines and watch as teams battled each other. Any other person would have felt lonely and wondered how it would be possible for them to participate in these activities and how they could overcome such a weakness. They came to Beacon looking to succeed and become a hero would save the world, but they couldn't accomplish such a lofty goal alone. They needed others to support them, to have people to trust with their very lives to do such an endeavor.

Shizu was not one of those people. She had no such aspirations or ideals, having come here only to study the ways of the Huntsman and to gather data for Lord Ainz. Nothing more, and nothing less.

She took her seat in the ampitheatre, as close to the front as she could get in order to have a better view of the combatants. A few minutes later, the chatter quieted down and their teacher, Glynda Goodwitch, approached. The second Shizu saw her, she sensed the same presence from this woman as she did from Lady Yamaiko. Stern and strict and would not accept any tomfoolery.

"Welcome to Combat Class, students." Glynda Goodwitch began. "I am your combat instructor, Professor Glynda Goodwitch. As I'm sure you all know what this class entails, allow me to explain to our new arrivals. In this class, you will spar against your peers, both those in your year and your upperclassmen. Some may struggle, but it is here you will learn what it means to be Huntsman, as well as impart to you all a great lesson. A Huntsman will face not only Grimm, but also his fellow humans and Faunus. There are many in the world who would wish harm upon the people. The White Fang. Criminal organizations. The mafia. Those are but a few examples. And it is the duty of we Huntsman to deal with such offenses."

Shizu hummed. She wondered what Lord Touch Me would have to say to all of this and immediately felt a pang of sadness, once again reminded of how only Lord Ainz remained.

It was no secret that, while they were all grateful that he remained with them, many of the NPCs had wished to see their creators and masters again. Yuri Alpha often wished Lady Yamaiko had been here with Lord Ainz, and Lady Shalltear had offhandedly wished Lord Peroroncino was here as well, no doubt thinking that perhaps Lord Ainz knew where he was and wondered if she would be allowed to ask where he could have gone. She did not ask him, of course, as it would be overstepping her boundaries as Floor Guardian.

Of course, many of them wished to ask where their creators had gone. As the leader of the guild, surely Lord Ainz knew where they had gone. Yet they feared that, if they dared to ask him such a question, he too would vanish.

And so they remained in silence, swearing fealty to the one person they had left to give it to.

"As today is the first day of class, we'll keep combat to a minimum and focus on scenarios and hypotheticals that may or may not become reality when you go out on missions." Goodwitch continued. "But before we get to that, why don't we get to what many of you came to Beacon for." She fiddled with her Scroll. As she did so, the giant monitor behind her flickered to life. "We will have three matches between our first and second year students. It will be one-on-one, and each of our combatants will be determined at random. Any questions?"

Shizu raised her hand. "Is the usage of semblances allowed?"

"Of course. Even if this is a spar, I expect you to give these battles your all and use every possible advantage you have." Goodwitch answered, much to her glee. "Any other questions? …good. Let's begin."

_**3**_

The first match was decided.

Avian Rouge, second year and member of RYAL, was given the opportunity to test himself against one of the new students. Specifically, the one that his leader wouldn't shut up about. At first, he had no idea what made this girl catch that bastard's eye, but as he returned to the ampitheatre and stepped into the arena, weapon in hand, he understood why the girl had become Roy's fixation.

On the outside, she was beautiful. "Inhuman beauty" might be the best way to describe her. Her face was round and a bit pale, lips pink with a short nose. Somehow, she reminded him of a doll. A work of perfection that a collector would pay millions to obtain. Any hot-blooded male would truly become captivated. Avian saw why Roy was obsessed with this girl, but he couldn't help but feel unnerved. It wasn't that her beauty gave him cause for concern. Oh no, nothing like that.

It was the _look_.

_She doesn't even see me. She's not even looking at me._ Avian thought, biting his lower lip. Her eye stared at him, saw him and looked at him, yes, but she was seeing right through him. He wasn't there as far as she was concerned. He couldn't see anything aside from a void. It was unnerving and haunting, enough for him to wonder what was wrong with her.

He shook his head. "Can't afford to get distracted." he whispered under his breath before he gripped his weapon with both hands. A giant broadsword whose blade was split down the middle, the barrel of a gun fixed between the blades. Beneath the hilt, a trigger. When he first acquired this weapon, it was a little difficult to hold up. But overtime, he had become used to its weight. It was not light, but it felt comfortable in his hands. Enough for him to feel a sense of confidence.

While he couldn't exactly compare to his teammates, he was definitely better than Roy. He still couldn't understand why that shit stain became leader, much less a student. Maybe Ozpin was blind, or maybe he believed that Roy would fail. Or maybe the Headmaster was intimidated because Roy's daddy was a politician.

Avian grimaced. He couldn't think about Roy right now. He had to focus. He held his blade up while Shizu readied her assault rifle. He studied it, curious as to whether or not it was a custom-made weapon or a personal design. He had never seen one of its like before, though based on what he saw, there didn't appear to be any transformation mechanism.

_Then again, that chick with the beret had a hand bag that could turn into a damned Gatling Gun…_

Goodwitch stepped into the arena, approaching Shizu. The two appeared to be discussing something, but she was so far away he couldn't hear. Based on their expressions, though, whatever it was must have been important because Goodwitch's face turned sour and shook her head. She kept pressing on whatever it was that she was trying to tell his opponent, but the Shizu girl was a statue and wouldn't budge. After maybe four or five minutes, Goodwitch gave up.

Avian raised a brow, wondering what the deal was before he saw the look on Goodwitch's face. "Shit, she is _pissed_." Just what in the heck did that Shizu girl say that got her so worked up? Maybe he could find out later.

"Are both combatants armed and ready?" Goodwitch's voice was tight but kept her gaze on the two. They nodded. "The match will end when your Aura is in the red zone, is depleted or one of you forfeits. Whichever comes first." A pause, then her eyes turned dark. "_Begin_."

He who strikes first shall hit the mark.

That was something Avian's father had told him. A proverb that he lived by to this day. Whoever dealt the first blow would have the advantage. Granted, it didn't mean they would necessarily win, but they would otherwise have a huge lead.

He raised his sword and pulled the trigger while grinding his feet as far into the ground as he could. His body shuddered beneath the knockback behind the shot but remained rooted on the spot. A giant burst erupted from the tip of his sword, shot straight from the barrel and aimed right at Shizu. He didn't wait for the attack to land and instead charged straight in, his sword trailing behind him. Either she would dodge, or she would block and leave herself open. It was the best way to score the first hit. He was halfway across the arena when his small opponent made his decision.

To his bafflement, she knocked it away by swinging her rifle like it was a bat. The blast was knocked away and impacted the walls surrounding them. He didn't let his shock take him over and continued. He reached combat range and immediately struck, swinging his sword as fast as he could with as much force as he could muster. Shizu stared at him in the moment between her action and his swing, then-

_What?!_

He stumbled and stared at the empty space, slack-jawed. The girl vanished in the blink of an eye the second his blade was meant to hit her. But how was that possible? How could she have moved so quickly in such a short amount of time?! Immediately, his mind raced to find answers. He recalled how she asked at the start of class if the use of semblances was permitted.

Was that it? Had she used her semblance? But what was it? What kind of semblance could allow someone to dodge a blade right when it was about to hit them?

"…sorry."

_**Bang!**_

Avian's world exploded as his body went flying. It was only by years of training that the grip on his weapon didn't lessen. Everything went blank for a few seconds before he registered the impact of his back hitting the floor. His ears were ringing, and his vision swimming with white. His face felt hot like someone put a blow dryer in his face at full blast.

He groaned and sat up, rubbing his face. He shook off the disorientation and looked up to find Shizu standing a little bit away from where she was originally positioned, the barrel of her gun smoking.

When had she fired her gun? No, more than that, when had she entered his blindspot? How was it possible for her to not make a sound while getting into position? He looked at his bracer, where his Scroll was attached. His jaw became unhinged.

His aura went down by ten percent.

_What the hell kind of bullets is she using?!_

The answer to Avian's questions were simple, but to anyone else other than Shizu and Goodwitch, who was barely able to keep up, the answer seemed ludicrous and unbelievable.

The reason why Shizu was able to evade his attack was because she evaded at that last possible second. The reason why this could even be accomplished was pure speed. There was no semblance involved. Shizu had dodged the attack with natural ability alone, and within that same motion, had entered Avian's blindspot and aimed her rifle to the side of his head. In that instant, he had no clue what had happened nor could he have expected it.

Goodwitch, for her part, stared at Shizu Obsidian in disbelief. She couldn't believe her eyes, nor trust her own judgment. Earlier, she had attempted to convince the girl to allow her to unlock her aura. She had no idea why she hadn't done so before coming to the school or why no one unlocked it while training her, but the professor was not going to let her fight when she could get herself injured. She didn't care if the girl was highly skilled.

Yet, to her frustration, Shizu refused. She claimed she would unlock her Aura when it best suited her. Despite pointing out the dangers to fighting without Aura, she still persisted. Goodwitch had no idea what was going through this girl's head, but she made it clear that this wouldn't be the last time they talked about this. One way or another, that girl was getting her Aura unlocked.

Yet, after watching such a flawless motion, she started to wonder. _What kind of training did she go through to achieve that level of ability, all without her Aura to back her up?_ She shuddered, not wishing to learn the answer.

Avian grimaced, realizing that he had just lost the lead. He had no idea how the girl managed to evade his attack, but he was going to make sure the next blow struck. Rather than fire another shot to distract her, he came straight at her.

If she was going to use her semblance, it was only fair he do the same.

Shizu raised her rifle to counter and stop him in his tracks, but stopped when she noticed that everything started to lag for lack of a better word. His movements slowed down, but the way he moved implied he was rushing at her with full force. The cheering for one to win became blurred.

_What is this anomaly?_ It wasn't magic, not unless Raven Branwen was close by. But logic dictated that there should be no reason for her to interfere with this spar, not unless she knew about her allegiance to Lord Ainz. The idea that Avian Rouge was a magic caster came to her mind, but dismissed it almost immediately.

Her sensors flared. She ducked, avoiding a blow that would have struck her head, and retaliated with a skill. [Palm Strike]. It was a physical ability, tier-one with a chance of a DEF debuff. Her opponent, who shouldn't have been able to reach her at the speed he was going, coughed up spit and phlegm as he was once again sent flying before crashing back down to earth.

Shizu reached a conclusion. _A semblance_. Based on what occurred, she believed that his could briefly slow a person's perception of time. If that was the case, then there may very well be the possibility that Avian could also stop time as well. However, if that was indeed the case, why hadn't he done so? The limitations and possibilities were intriguing.

The combat maid now realized why the Supreme Being was so interested and swore to double her efforts to gather information.

_What just happened…?_ Avian thought as he scrambled back up to his feet. The attack had come him completely off guard and broke a few ribs, though his Aura was already in the process of mending the bones. _She shouldn't have seen my attack coming. Her perception of time should have slowed to a crawl. How did she…?_

Avian's semblance affected everyone within a three-meter radius, slowing down their sense of time. Everything around them would appear sluggish, like time had hit the brakes in the middle of going full-throttle. He used it as little as he could so people wouldn't catch on, as he couldn't use it very frequently. There was also a time limit as to how long he could impose his semblance on a person. If he focused on a single target instead of letting it spread over a small area, he could use it repeatedly and to a much greater effect.

For her to have been able to sense his attack coming, even while under the effect of his semblance…

What _was_ she? Some sort of super soldier?

He tried to rethink his strategy, but didn't have time as Shizu opened fire on him again. The shot missed him by an inch, grazing his cheek. He scrambled to avoid the gunfire, blocking as many as he could. He looked at his Aura.

He was at 75 percent.

_I can't let this go on. If I do…!_

* * *

Velvet knew from those among her year that Shizu was a celebrity. A Solo who took down the most initiates, quick and easy without so much as a scratch, it was only natural there was going to be talk about her. At first, she just thought she was a very quiet girl who was braving the loss of her family, striving to become a Huntress for the same reasons as they were.

But what she was seeing now?

"Forget a fight." Coco winced. "This is a one-sided _slaughter_."

Yatsuhashi nodded in agreement. "Indeed it is. I see now why she was made a Solo."

As the fight progressed, Team CFVY had first assumed that Avian of Team RYAL went on the defensive after taking two serious blows from Coco, one from her rifle and the other a direct blow from her palm. Her speed had been astounding, as she evade Avian each time he somehow managed to close the gap and get close to her. Had she not known any better, Velvet would have thought she was using her semblance. When Shizu dealt the physical blow to Avian, she began engage in long-range combat and shoot at him. The amount of shots fired so far as thirty, and yet she made no move to reload, making Coco wonder how many bullets her rifle was holding before she needed to change clips.

It was during that time that Velvet had noticed that many of Shizu's shots had missed. At first, she thought she must have had some bad aiming or was starting to crack under pressure, but Fox had revealed something very startling that spoke a lot about Shizu's character that they didn't know.

Though some mistook it on account of him secretly being a Faunus, Fox was one hundred percent human and had better hearing than most, on account of him being blind. It was hard to hear certain sounds, even when he was focusing on them, but he could hear them much more clearly than most people could. He had paid great attention to the fight, imagining how things were going by even the subtlest of movements from Avian swinging his sword to Shizu's lightning-fast movement and her gun going off.

When he heard her shots, he knew immediately what she was doing.

She was missing _on purpose_. She was dragging the fight out, but why none of them knew.

"You know, for a girl who's name literally means 'quiet' in Mistral, she's very vicious." Coco said. She inwardly cringed as Avian attempted to strike Shizu from behind, only for the girl to perform a marvelous backward flip that would have made a gymnast jealous before unloading two rounds into his back, bringing down more of his aura. "I mean, seriously. With how much heat she's packing, she could end this fight anytime she wanted."

"It is strange, I admit." Fox shrugged. "But, maybe she's just trying to get him to take her seriously. He's our senior, after all."

"Or she enjoys battle." Yatsuhashi threw in his opinion. "Why would she prolong the fight by purposely missing her shots? It does not make sense."

Coco turned to her pen pal. "What do you think, Vel?"

The Rabbit Faunus pursed her lips. She took into account the girl's quiet nature and her fighting style so far. She kept a safe distance and timed her shots. If she was missing on purpose, there must have been a reason why she would do so. After a moment of thinking, she reached a conclusion.

"She's researching him."

Coco raised an eyebrow beneath her sunglasses. "Researching him? Care to explain, girl?"

"She's studying his movements and fighting style. The reason why she's purposely missing is so he has more opportunities to attack her, and in turn, study and memorize those attacks. She's baiting him while slowly chipping away at his Aura, and keeping a good distance while finding the right opportunity."

Yatsuhashi rubbed his chin. "I think I see it… Yes, that is quite the strategy. A bit risky, perhaps, but knowing your enemy is half the battle."

"Mm. And remember what Shizu asked Professor Goodwitch earlier before we began?" Velvet looked at her team. "She asked if we were allowed to use our semblances."

Fox's eyes widened. "I get it… She's trying to get him to use his semblance."

"Maybe he's already used it." Coco thought aloud. "Take a look. This match is reaching the climax."

* * *

Avian grunted as another round struck him. Her shots were becoming sharper and more precise. No, it was more accurate to say that she was taking him seriously. He realized now that she had been missing her shots on purpose, watching his movements closely while countering him whenever he managed to close the gap and used his semblance. No matter how hard he pushed, he could never surpass the limit she was placing on him.

"You…" he wheezed. "What the hell _are_ you?"

Shizu said nothing. That damned eye stared at him blankly, never straying from its target. She had him in her sights, and he wouldn't escape. The longer the fight went on, the more Avian began to realize that he had been fighting a losing match from the beginning. Had he not known any better, he would have thought that he had just stepped into the ring with the Mistral Region Champion Pyrrha Nikos.

After all, he had not touched her even once.

_If I can just get one hit on her. Just one hit. Just one _hit_!_

"Let's risk it all!"

His semblance flared to life. He pushed it farther than he ever had before, letting out a battle cry as he made one last desperate charge. He knew full well that one more hit from her, and he would lose. He didn't care. All he cared about was maintaining his dignity. If he could land so much as a single blow, no matter how weak, he would be satisfied.

Time slowed to a crawl. Avian gritted his teeth, his mind straining from the pressure. He could feel the weight of his power pushing down him for going past his limits. Shizu saw that time was slowing to a crawl, worse than it had the last time. After a moment, everything ceased to move.

Had Avian used this on any other person, he would have realized that he had not just stopped a person's sense of time, he effectively stopped the idea of "time" in a person's head. The brain would effectively stop thinking. It would still send signals to the body, the heart continuing to pump blood through the body and the lungs continuing to exhale and inhale oxygen, but the target ceased to think. In a way, they had effectively been put into cryostasis; an instant flash-freeze without the cold.

However, his opponent was a heteromorphic; a machine whose only directive was to defeat all opposition.

Avian swung his sword with all the strength he could put into this single final hope, but Shizu had already evaded the attack. In the blink of an eye, she ducked beneath the blade mid-swing and maneuvered behind him, putting the gun to the back of his head.

His eyes widened.

"…for what it is worth, you fought well." Shizu offered him a small condolence. "However, I cannot hold back."

_**Bang!**_

His Aura dropped to twenty percent. A second passed before his body crumpled to the floor in an unconscious heap, blade discarded. Shizu stared at him for a moment, wondering if he still had one more surprise for her, but he did not move. She closed her eye and put the rifle to her back, walking away and leaving behind a stupefied Goodwitch, who was unsure of what happened. She looked more startled and shocked than anything else.

She shook her head and gathered her thoughts before speaking up. "The winner is Shizu Obsidian. Team RYAL, please come collect your teammate and take him to the infirmary." Two people from the stands rushed out to the arena, taking their unconscious comrade into their arms and pulling him up. Once they departed, the combat instructor continued. "As you can see, the difference in years is not the deciding factor in a fight. Combat experience is a vital teacher, just as much as personal skill is. And that is why you will be pitted against each other, testing how far you can go before you inevitably reach your limits. And my duty as your instructor is to ensure you _break_ those limits."

She adjusted her glasses. "Now then… Do we perhaps have any volunteers for our next match?"

Several hands went up. Goodwitch had a good feeling about this class.

Now, if only she could solve the mystery that was Shizu Obsidian.

* * *

Roy could barely believe what he had just seen.

While his relationship with his team was not the best, he would be a fool to deny their ability. In terms of fighting the enemy up close and personal, no one could shut down enemies better than Avian. His physical prowess was certainly something to envy.

_And yet…!_

Shizu Obsidian, that beautiful doll he met on the first day of the new year, had defeated him. No. That wasn't the correct word. It was more accurate to say that she had effortlessly slaughtered him. She moved with such speed that no one could barely make out any movement, as if she had disappeared and reappeared like a magic trick. Her attacks were precise, a movement never wasted. It reminded him of the movements of a soldier, practiced and cautious.

It did not take a genius to figure out that she was toying with him. In the battlefield, at that moment, she was a goddess of war. Unmatched. Untouchable.

He shuddered. He felt his pants become unbearably tight.

"I want her…"

"Hm?" His partner looked at him weirdly. "You say something, Roy?"

Roy smiled widely. "I want _Shizu_."

She would become his, one way or another…

* * *

**NOTE**: Reminder that OCs will have one of two fates. They will either be entirely removed from the narrative and only mentioned in passing in future chapters...or become fodder for Nazarick to use however they see fit. And given Overlord's track record with characters like Roy...well, you can see where this is going.


	11. Volume 2: Interlude

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.**

* * *

_**Something Wicked This Way Comes**_

* * *

**INTERLUDE**

* * *

Lisa Lavender liked to spend her free time in the library when she was not busy working. It had a wide variety of subjects and tomes to offer, from what little historical facts that Vale had managed to preserve since the days of the Great War to her favorite horror novels. There were a few advantages to being in the library during the afternoon for her, such as not having to deal with so many people constantly asking her for the latest inside scoop or the perverts trying to ask her out for a date.

One of her more recent encounters was actually with a co-worker who was a little too touchy for his own good. She shuddered as his fingers ran across his waist and wanted nothing more than to break his fingers off, piece by piece. While she was no Huntress, that did not mean she was defenseless. In her younger, brasher days, she was a fighter in an underground arena beaten and beating down some poor idiot she was paid money to fight. Back then, she was a drug-addict and would have been a worthless nobody, if not worse. She had overdosed and would have died in some alley, left to disappear and not remembered by anyone, not even her parents who were disappointed with a failure like her. Were it not for the kindness of some man whose face she could barely recall, she would have definitely died.

The kindness shown to her that day, as well as the near-death experience, had given her a much-needed wake-up call to get her crap together. She left the underground fighting days behind and pursued a much better career. Becoming a news anchor was not her first choice, but it was better than becoming a Huntress that was for sure. Sure, people always dreamed about the luxurious life of becoming some kind of warrior of justice that defended the innocent from the monsters that hunted them, but she knew what that kind of lifestyle actually entailed.

Living the life of some kind of protector was not as glamorous as people said it was. They would sing praises and put the Huntsman or Huntress on a pedestal for a job well-done, but when that person fails a mission and lives are lost, those same people are all too quick to blame them. Lisa had seen one too many interviews or videos of reporters asking harsh and callous questions to Huntsmen and Huntresses who were unable to protect someone. She remembered their expressions and the looks in their eyes as the pressure mounted. Some kept a level head and a cool façade, a few even managing to give a retort that shut the reporters up. Some broke down and could not give them a proper response, already burdened by the incredible guilt for having been unable to save those lives. The rest either lashed out angrily at the reporters or coldly responded that there was nothing to be concerned with and had to focus on what was in front of them.

She felt that the last one seemed the most appropriate. People died every day. This was not some fairy tale where everybody gets to live happily ever after. It was real life. No one could save everyone. Anyone who thought that way was an idiot.

If Lisa had to choose something that made her choose the lifestyle of a reporter, it was that she would always have to look at the truth. The cold facts that was undeniable. The news was trustworthy, or at least the trust depended on the news station and the people who were giving the news. In her opinion, the Vale News Network was unbiased and simply told everyone the facts, unlike the news stations in Atlas who took almost every opportunity to jump to theories or go on tangents about the White Fang and their ruthlessness.

Speaking of the White Fang, the Director had given her what might have been her most important job to date. There was movement in the White Fang, and not the one ran by Sienna Khan. There was rumor that the old White Fang, the peaceful protest group from years ago, was making a comeback in response to the escalating violence of the new White Fang. She did not know the details, but the resurfacing organization was not being led by Ghira Belladonna, the original Fang's founder and former leader, but by someone else. Ghira was playing second fiddle and backing the organization, which of course led to a lot of speculation.

It was a rumor, of course, but it was definitely interesting. Moreover, that was where Lisa Lavender came in. She covered many stories about the White Fang in the past when she first started. It was the reason why she was transferred to the Faunus Coverage department and tasked on doing several reports about Faunus activities, be it civil right movements, prejudice and everything else. Assuming the rumor was real and that the old White Fang was being brought back from the dead, and Ghira Belladonna was running the organization as a mere backer, then there was definitely a story to be found.

There were a lot of questions Lisa had if this story was real. Why was Ghira Belladonna backing the organization and not running it himself? Surely he must feel responsible for what the White Fang had become since it was his decision to have Sienna Khan replace him. That would have been good motivation for him to start the old White Fang back up, but he chose to support it instead. Why was that, and who was running the show? Who was the mystery character that revived the old White Fang and managed to get Ghira Belladonna to back them? The more Lisa questioned and thought about it, the more excited she became.

It was in the afternoon when she had just finished her light reading. She checked her wristwatch and saw that it was time for her to return to the office. She had a long couple of weeks ahead of her and she assumed they were going to be quite busy. As she packed up her things, carefully placing her Scroll and borrowed books into her purse, she stopped and noticed someone out of the corner of her eye.

At first glance, they looked ordinary and unassuming, simply sitting at a table reading a book with an intense expression. The first thought that would come to somebody's mind was that it must have been a very engaging book. However, the book in question was "The History of Kingdoms and Dust." A simple and easy to find tome that could be found in almost every book store under the sun. There was also the clothing the individual wore; a slim and _very_ expensive looking black suit with a dark gray emblem on the breast pocket, black gloves with a red necktie and dark dress shirt underneath the jacket.

The individual was male, that much was obvious. To Lisa, however, she wondered if she was staring at the personification of perfected handsomeness. His skin was pale but perfect, untouched by blemishes or facial hair, chin angular and nose small and narrow. His eyes were the color of wine, alluring and intense. His hair was as black as the color of the night sky and, while slightly messy, helped to contrast his otherwise perfect form. The thin-rimmed glasses that sat atop the bridge of his nose helped to complete the look and gave him an air of intelligence and cunning.

_Oh my,_ a treacherous voice tempted. _Lisa Lavender, meet Mister Sexy._

She gulped and tried her best not to stare. Here she was, a woman in her early thirties, and she was staring at someone who could not be no older than twenty-three like she were some kind of love struck high-school girl. He looked quite familiar for some reason, but she was too distracted. She felt her palms become sweaty and her throat painfully dry. He looked so perfect, an otherworldly beauty that had no equal, that it felt like a crime not to bask in his glory.

In the midst of her staring, mind hazy and clouded with treacherous and dirty thoughts, the man had noticed her at some point. She was a deer caught in headlights, especially when he offered her a small smile and waved.

She felt her heart skip a beat.

_Get out get out get out get out get out get ooout!_

She ducked her head and tore herself out of the library, not stopping even once until she returned to the news station. It would not be until evening that she remembered why the man looked so familiar and cursed her foolishness.

* * *

Not long after the woman staring at the man had left in a panic, clearly having been caught staring at him, another man dressed in a suit approached from behind.

"Shall I follow her?"

"Please do."

It was certainly odd that someone was staring at him so intently. He was simply here to pursue a little research since he had the opportunity. The library in Vale was supposed to be one of the most prolific and expansive, boasting the highest number of books about history regarding so many different subjects. It was a good opportunity to learn more about Remnant and its inhabitants. Yet, he caught someone spying on him.

It was possible the woman was just taken in, but he sincerely doubted it. Her gaze had been so intense, and there was that strange look in her eyes that resembled a predator locking on to her prey.

Ainz grimaced at his poor luck. _Here I am, on my first visit in Vale, and already I am being watched._

He was not simply just here to read about history and gleam knowledge about this world so he could get a possible advantage sometime in the near future. He was here to progress his plans to integrate himself into society. So far, things had been progressing smoothly. He had enough currency to get him started and was already making a name for himself after having secured a backer to help him get on his feet.

He knew that excavating the Dust from the mine near Nazarick would have been of great help in the near future, but who knew that the quality was enough to get him in the graces of one of the leading energy producers?

Jacques Schnee was like his old boss. He preferred efficiency and quality over quantity. The mines under the Schnee Dust Company (at least those "officially owned") were small in number, with only a meager number of personnel assigned to the mines, but the quality of the Dust that was mined was more than enough to make up for it.

The better the quality of the Dust, the higher the price. For example, twenty small pieces of high quality Dust could earn three times as much lien as seventy large pieces of low quality Dust.

Initially, Ainz's plan was to get himself in on the Dust market, though a quick look at the businesses already invested in this plan made him rethink things. There were several corporations and businesses already involved in Dust operations, especially when it came to refining the stuff, but the Schnee Dust Corporation was the biggest player, if not the only one. They offered joint ownerships and cooperation with other smaller businesses in order to gain access to the mines they owned, but eventually the SDC would absorb those smaller companies and incorporate their strengths into itself.

When it came to hostile takeover, Jacques Schnee was a master. Moreover, that was more than enough reason for Ainz to be wary.

It would have been easy for him to get started by himself when you think about it. He could have sold a small meager portion of Nazarick's treasure and he would easily have enough lien to live like a king. However, using _Yggdrasil_ currency was the same as announcing to everyone that he was a Player, and he could not afford that kind of attention to himself. Hence why he chose to play it safe by getting in on Dust mining operations, though he made sure to include in his partnership with Jacques that, in the event the Schnee Dust CEO did try and take over his own business, the only thing he would receive would be the rights to the Dust mine. Or what was left of it, anyway.

Given its close proximity to Nazarick, there was no way he could risk somebody getting the rights to it out of fear that someone may discover the Tomb. Since Dust was so easy to acquire, there was really no more need for the mine anymore. It was the reason why he managed to get on his feet in this new world, and now that he secured a good source of initial funding, there was no actual reason for him to keep it. He would need to make up some kind of excuse as to why the mine was no longer usable, though he imagined that one mine would not be too much of a big loss. Not when Jacques had access to arguably much larger and richer mines.

Dust wasn't the only market Ainz was interested in. He intended to get involved in the technological scene, though that would have wait a while. He needed to build up his company first.

_Sheesh, making a business from the ground-up is hard. I think I have new respect for my bosses, especially considering the times we lived in!_

"Lor-"

Ainz gave Demiurge a look. "What have I told you about that?"

"Right. Forgive me, President Momon."

"Momon Obsidian. Upcoming CEO of Obsidian Industries."

That was the identity that Ainz had created, using the shady underground connections Demiurge established for them in Mistral. Originally a merchant from Kuroyuri that was destroyed years ago, he had slowly built himself up and would eventually make his way into the cutthroat world of corporate businesses. It was a massive undertaking built upon threads of connections and lies, and a single tug in the right direction would cause everything to unravel. There were many things Ainz had to consider as he made his civilian identity, more so when Shizu infiltrated Beacon Academy. Building an identity for her was easier, compared to what Ainz was building for himself as well for the other NPCs he sent out into the world.

As far as family went, Shizu was his niece and under his care after her parents died in the attack on Kuroyuri. Aside from her, there was Sebas Tian and Solution Epsilon. Sebas was a close friend of the Obsidian family who Momon entrusted with his younger sister Sol following the tragedy of Kuroyuri. Sol had been a spoiled and sickly girl at birth, but traveling around Mistral had helped her get over her crippling disposition; eventually take over his merchant business as he ascended to corporate status.

Currently, Sebas and Solution were in a port city called Argus, located up north of Anima and served as a prosperous trading center. Things seemed to be going pretty well for them the last time they gave him a report. Sebas even managed to establish some friendly connections with the locals. To his amusement, the battle butler had somehow caught the attention of two local women, a married couple at that. At first, Ainz had been surprised to hear that same-sex couples were also a thing in the new world, though not for the reasons one might think.

It really said a lot about the depressing state of affairs about Earth when governments made same-sex marriages illegal and a grave offense simply because of a dwindling population.

Ainz looked at his hands, slowly curling and unfurling his fingers while noting how tight his skin felt around his bones. Demiurge noticed this and frowned. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine. In fact, I've never felt better!"

The reason why Ainz was somehow in a human body was an item. In _Yggdrasil_, the [Create Item] function had a wide variety of uses. Often, players used [Create Item] to make potions, elixirs and low-tier equipment. Of course, in order to use [Create Item], the player had to have the materials required to make something from them. For example, a potion required a certain number of herbs and specific enemy drops.

The item Ainz used to give himself a human body was made through [Create Greater Item], a higher-level version of the ability. It was needed if one was to create Guild Weapons or even World-level Items, though that last one demanded some very intense item farming and was sometimes more trouble than it was worth. The amount of time it took to make the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown was a living testament to the sheer dedication and passion the guild members had for the guild, as the jewels in the snake mouths alone took countless hours to make.

"Mask of Illusions." That was the name of the item Ainz made through [Create Greater Item.] In truth, the idea of an item that changed one's appearance was already done. There were several items in _Yggdrasil_ that allowed a player to hide their avatar and pretended to be of a different race or class. However, these usually tended to be mere illusions and would not last for very long, and they generally had little use outside of PvP since high profile players would be discovered immediately if they were using an illusion. Several powerful heteromorphic players tried this tactic once, but some were almost immediately found out and attacked anyways.

Illusions also lasted for as long as the user remained untouched. The second someone touched them while the illusion was active or if they were attacked, it would be dispelled immediately. Considering what was required of Ainz since he was planning on starting a business and meeting with people personally, the illusion would be destroyed instantly.

The thought of an undead monster making business deals was definitely amusing, but definitely not something he wanted to try.

So what made "Mask of Illusions" so different? The answer was simple, actually. So long as the player wore it, they would be under the effect of an illusion of a different kind. Specifically, they would undergo a temporary race change.

Items that changed races were commonplace, but they were typically only ever used by newbies and casual players. Seasoned players only kept items as mere trophies of accomplishment or were only used by players who were looking to undergo a big change of playstyle. The "Mask of Illusion" was not common, but it definitely wasn't rare. So long as it was worn, the player would be considered a human character.

However, there was a slew of problems involved with this. For starters, the "Mask of Illusion" inflicted a stat penalty that reduced all of his stats by three. Secondly, the use of Skills and Spells was restricted to tier one. In other words, it was impractical and therefore hardly ever used. In all honesty, it was made as a mere joke item by Luci Fer for little reason at all.

Changing races did nothing for Ainz aside from allowing him to integrate with society. He could not use abilities available to a human character, nor could he use any of his stronger powers. In short, he was weakening himself by a large margin. A major risk just to establish a presence, but this was also why he had tasked Demiurge with being his new company's Vice-President.

Demiurge was cunning as he was intelligent. Surely, the politics of business would be nothing to him. Plus, a powerful Floor Guardian was the best kind of protection he could have asked for.

Besides, it was either him or Albedo. Actually, him becoming a human character had raised quite the uproar once he revealed it to them. They were very vocal about him becoming an "inferior" race, but the discord did not last for long when he told them it was only temporary. As soon as the "Mask of Illusion" was removed, he would return to being undead. He did not want to think what their reaction might be if he told them about the stat penalties and skill restrictions.

Still, despite his assurances, the Guardians were still worried about the temporary transformation. In his opinion, it was actually a welcome change of pace. Since he was now a human character, the emotional suppression he often felt was no longer in effect. He could now fully enjoy things like meals and feelings like joy and happiness. He had secretly done a happiness in private when he first discovered this, though this also led to another worrisome problem. Since he was no longer a skeleton, he had to ensure that his expressions were within reason. He couldn't give too much away.

Ainz had spent so many long hours in front of a mirror, going over hypothetical scenarios and scenes that he devised and practicing control over his facial muscles with the help of a doppelganger under his personal command. After each and every session, of course, he would have to erase its memories to preserve the idea that he was a "perfect ruler" in the eyes of his Guardians.

He didn't like the bitter taste it left in his mouth, though. One of the many emotions he wished he didn't feel as a human. It did not take him long to realize just how adjusted he had become to his undead body.

Ainz sighed to himself as he closed the book in his hand. He had obtained a good enough understanding of Remnant's history, or at least what remained of it. Suffice it to say, he was actually floored by what little he had been offered.

The Great War that happened decades ago destroyed not just the old cultures of the Kingdoms, but also their histories and arts. The naming rule that was imposed now was a major attempt at keeping what little culture they had left alive, however odd it was aside. However, there was also the matter of records pertaining to outside the Kingdoms as well. Something that made him both irate and excited.

"I don't understand it. How is it that people have no knowledge of any countries, continents or landmasses outside the five we know of today war be damned?"

The were only a small number of landmasses known to humanity: Menagerie, Vytal, Anima, Sanus, Patch, and lastly Solitas. Outside of these known landmasses, there were no other recordings. It was almost as if these were the sole pieces of land left on the planet, but Ainz sincerely doubted that. With so little land available, humanity's number would be too small to support such large societies. At the very least, the societies had to be contained. Upon further investigation, though, Ainz learned that there have been no attempts to venture into the wilds and discover new lands.

There had been appeals to the various governing bodies to try and explore the outside world, but they were constantly met with rejection. The reasoning?

Grimm.

Just as the Creatures of Grimm attacked humanity on land, there were also known types of Grimm to inhabit the seas. One of the arguments meant to dissuade anyone looking to explore the outside world was that, since humanity had been so self-contained to what little lands they own, the Grimm that exist outside the continents must have lived for so many years that they no doubt evolved into Elder Grimm, perhaps even stronger. There were likely types of Grimm they had never seen before, some maybe more dangerous than the ones they faced now.

Despite the risks and dangers involved, it was still strange that no one attempted to launch an expedition by themselves. The promise of adventure, fortune and fame would have been a great enough incentive, so why had no one stepped up to the plate?

It was greatly unnerving for him, but at the same time, filled him with excitement. A vast world full of promise of adventure, it reminded him of the spirit he once felt each time _Yggdrasil_ had undergone a new expansion.

Perhaps, one day, he could organize such an adventure himself. For now, he must focus on the present task.

"It's almost time for Shizu to call again, isn't it?" Ainz said as he and Demiurge left the library, bidding the librarian farewell. "How is she doing?"

"Her cover remains intact, and so far, it appears she's doing quite well for herself." Demiurge replied. "She's established connections to the other students there. She's also developed quite a fan base among the whelps as well for having defeated a second-year student. However, the teachers have not yet made any attempt to unlock her aura if it is at all possible."

"I see." Ainz smiled slightly. "Is she getting along with her friends?"

"It seems so, though I do raise some concerns." Demiurge frowned. "One of the second-year students, some insignificant spec named Roy Al Lint, has developed a romantic interest in her."

Ainz repressed a snicker. That was freaking hilarious. He understood that it matched the color naming rule, but did someone seriously name their kid "red lint"? His amusement stopped when he registered what else Demiurge said and felt conflicted. On the one hand, Shizu was a fully grown woman despite being a few years old. She was old enough to make decisions for herself. If she wanted to reciprocate the feelings of someone else, he would not interfere. On the other hand, he was not sure how to feel about someone taking an interest in Shizu like _that_.

"What do we know about him?"

"He's a pathetic welp." Demiurge said with obvious disdain. "Based on what we managed to gather, he has no combat abilities whatsoever nor any actual leadership abilities. Not that I honestly expected he would, but he's woefully subpar compared to other lower life forms. His comrades barely tolerate his presence, and the only reason he was even made a student was because his father holds a seat on the Vale Council and apparently blackmailed the Headmaster."

"Blackmail? With what?"

"We're trying to discover that as we speak."

Ainz frowned heavily. He never really did enjoy politics, especially with all of the red tape involved. Business was usually very straight forward, if a little complex when it came to managing resources and taking into account what decisions would hurt the company or its employees and what wouldn't. Of course, the governments on Earth had more or less become so trivial that they had eventually lost all presence. They were "governments" in name only, with the only actual power belonging to the corporations and business leaders who now had seats of political power.

In other words, the businesses had become the governments. That said, what he thought before still applied. As far as the big shots were concerned, it was the company and the profits that mattered. Everyone else was a secondary concern that held little to no value.

He did not understand why some political big shot was blackmailing a headmaster of some prestigious school just so his son could attend. If what Demiurge was saying was true, then the kid was going to die eventually. Why put his life in so much danger just to make him an adventurer? He could not rely on his teammates forever, gods knows Ainz knew that lesson by heart.

"By the way, President." Demiurge stepped closer to Ainz as he adjusted his glasses, his smile so wide he could see his perfect white teeth. "I must say, it was quite the ingenious ploy to send Shizu to Beacon. With her there, we can not only gather information about these semblances and their variety, but also the training these children undergo."

Though Ainz's face gave nothing away, his thoughts were another matter.

_You were the one who sent Shizu to Beacon in the first place! _

Internally, he wept. All he did was make a small suggestion that it would be an interesting idea if he could send someone to school if only to gain an education. He was genuinely interested to see if the NPCs could learn things that they did not know in this new world. Once, he ordered a maid with a low level in cooking to make him something complex by herself with no outside help or advice. She attempted five times to make him such a meal, but each time she failed and made only a black and charcoal mess.

Each time, the maid would get on her hands and knees and beg forgiveness. It really was an embarrassing sight and he didn't fault her for her mistakes. It was only a trial run made out of simple curiosity, but now Ainz wanted to see if it was possible for NPCs to learn something new.

Admittedly, Shizu going to Beacon Academy, a school meant to train teenagers into this world's version of adventurers, was a bit more than what he was thinking, but he did have to admit, there was merit to the idea. If it was possible for them to develop semblances and an aura, how different would it be compared to a normal person? Would they even gain one? NPCs were made out of data, after all. In a sense, they did not have souls. The same could possibly be said about him too. He was an undead, and his body was made out of data like the NPCs, but would be somehow be an exception?

It honestly made him regret killing those bandits. They had their auras unlocked, so it would have been more useful for him to just have them try the experiment. Instead, he had Shizu act as a test case. In the event she did unlock aura and develop a Semblance, he wanted to see what kind of abilities she would develop. And whether or not it was possible for him to gain an aura and Semblance as well.

_Of all people, why Shizu though?_ Ainz thought genuinely confused. _I mean, don't get me wrong. Compared to the other NPCs outside of the Floor Guardians, she was definitely made with combat in mind. But the Pleiades Battle Maids were made to stall anyone who ever made it to the lower levels of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. They weren't made with PvP in mind. _

He did intend to ask Demiurge why he sent Shizu specifically, but he was not sure how exactly he could bring it up to him. What if he said the wrong thing and lose all trust from the NPC? What if Demiurge turned on him?

Those thoughts plagued him, so he did his best to keep them at bay. He simply accepted Demiurge's decision but made sure to have him keep him in the loop.

Speaking of being in the loop…

"What about our other venture?"

"Everything is proceeding as you expect, President." Demiurge's smile developed a hint of malice. "It won't be long before they're granted an audience with her."

Ainz smiled. "That's the best news I've heard all day."


End file.
